Facing Demons Facing You
by Bleach-ed-Na-tsu
Summary: UNDERGOING SERIOUS REVISION! - Now Tsuna's grown, and all the pain passes, he realises something is missing inside him. Something vital. Something keeping him from smiling and laughing wholly with his family. When a child appears, will that change everything?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello.**

**I am painfully aware that this isn't my first story, and that I am well past my weekly update deadline for it, however, I am finding it hard to write 'E'la nostra ora incisa sull'anello' at the moment, and this story popped into my mind, and well, this is the result.**

**I have a plan for this story, and it won't be updated as frequently as my other (I hope) so I can write it when I'm having a wave of writer's block on my first story.**

**Anyway about this story. I don't know how I thought it up, I was probably reading another story with the guardians and children and thought of this strange plot.**

**Please Enjoy despite the grammatical and spelling issues I am prone to.**

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><p><span>Facing Demons. Facing you.<span>

Chapter 1

~A Child's Innocence is Unwelcome in Our World.~

'_Tsuna and his guardians' thoughts'_

"Tsuna and his guardians' speech"

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><p>Finding himself behind yet another stack of endless paper work, the twenty-six year old brunette finds himself missing something vital. He has felt it for a long time, since his twenty-first birthday all those years ago. Though, he has never admitted it to his guardians. He believes they have enough of their own worries, without being burdened by his groundless qualms.<p>

Still, as his elegant script signs off another set of expenses courtesy of the External Assassination Squad, known to most as the Varia, Tsuna can't help his eyes musing over the script, and his dishevelled thoughts.

His fingers absently run over the newly dried ink of his signature. How many times had Reborn chided him on his messy scrawl when he was younger? He'd always told him it was worse than a child's handwriting. It had taken him into his late teen to fix the writing, now it looked to have been written by the hand of a man raised on high etiquette.

His eyes roll over his office, over the shelves of books he has read a million times during his hours of boredom, and over the pictures all over his desk. There is an entire shelf on the wall to his right, with the overflow of frames and images, but the ones on his desk are special to him, they are the images of his friends, and his famiglia smiling. There are seven images in a semicircle facing him at the back of the others. That's right, seven, he always reminds himself of the happy smiles in the photo containing his lost guardian, the one it took almost five years to release, well into his nineteenth year. The seven semi-circled images, contained one image of each of his guardians and himself, some of them are professionally taken, while others were taken during one of the many trips he had taken with his guardians. For instance, the images of Takashi, Hayato and himself were all done professionally and stood on either side of an image of the three of them, Tsuna in a throne with Hayato on his right, and Takashi on his left. Then, scattered around, and in-between all the other images there are many of his guardians and himself in groups, with concentrated faces, and of faces full of utter bliss. There are two image at the front of the rest, one is of the entire famiglia- taken professionally on a summer day- all seven of his guardians, and himself, smiling under the summer sky. Then, next to that one, there is an image of the entire Varia in a similar pose, if not the exact same pose, under a similar, azure sky. Those are his special ones. The picture frames that stand to his left, always perfectly cared for, are equally special to him. To the right are the images of his 'family', of his mother and father, both doting on their only son. One of his father clapping him on the back during his inheritance ceremony, and of his mother's smile on a summer day after his eighteenth birthday when he had finally told her exactly what he had been up to all those years. What the outsider will be surprised to see is a young boy, about five years old, and then eventually- if not suddenly -a grown man, always wearing the same outfit, making an appearance in many of the images. Reborn is as much a part of his family as he is his famiglia. It had taken many years, but the curse of the arcabalano has finally been eased, allowing the infants to once again gain their adult bodies.

Despite such happy, smiling faces, and the feeling of joy as he realised the once disastrous future he had prevented when he was young, was never going to happen, he still feels something missing, something keeping him from feeling totally happy. A part of him, always, always, remembers what he is. Tenth boss of Vongola. A _mafia_ boss. The man who sends death to the enemy, and at the age of fifteen was drenched in blood. He is a murderer, he has no right to smile, and laugh with the innocence known as his famiglia.

With all these realisations milling through his mind. And with others he wouldn't dare bring to the surface, the brunette decides to take a stroll around the Vongola estate. He knows it well after all the years spent in it, so a stroll will mean him no harm. In fact he knows that at this very moment almost fifty security guards will be spread out everywhere, protecting their precious boss from harm.

It has been almost four years since Tsuna has taken full hold of Vongola, Nono, his grandfather has gone into full retirement at this time is still enjoying his final years in peace with his guardians, who have also been relieved of their burdens.

'_Such a peaceful evening tonight.'_

It isn't a rare thing. Tsuna muses as he clicks the door to his office shut. He has begun to change the blood shed of Vongola. There have been enemies over the past few years, but non have been as much as a threat as the Milfiore had ever been. If a family starts to threaten everything Tsuna stands for. They are to be destroyed by Tsuna's very own hand before they even think of opposing the Vongola.

It's ironic really, to protect everything he loves, Tsuna has to go against everything he stands for.

Still, he's happy for it. It means the smiles of his famiglia is assured.

Hayato is accepted by everyone now. No one ever doubts his loyalty, or his ability. He is the feared right-hand-man of Vongola Decimo. Everyone knows of his skill, and the famiglias that once turned him down look away in shame whenever Decimo looks at them with his disapproving glare.

'_Always at the center of the storm'_

Takashi can now smile _real_ smiles when he's happy. He can frown, and cry when he's sad. He never has to fake his emotions for the sake of his _image_.

'_Washing away all pain and grief. Washing away the blood on our hands'_

Ryohei can be with his sister and protect her, and can express himself in a good environment, without having to worry about the safety, or promise to his sister. He can be himself, be as extreme as he wants to be, without rebuff, we accept him for who _he_ is, not for what he is.

'_Brightly shining and illuminating the famiglia'_

Lambo has a family where he can be free, free to fight with Hayato and Ryohei, free to be selfish and never be lonely. He can be a kid, he is free to be a child for as long as he wants to be one.

'_Taking a strike for the family.'_

Chrome can be Chrome, or can Nagi, and she doesn't have to be afraid of what anyone will say about it. She doesn't have to hide herself, or conform to a mould she doesn't fit.

Mukuro can have a family that doesn't want him for his ability- that won't abuse their power over him- slowly he's warming up to Tsuna's idea of a Mafia-less famiglia where he is included as himself, as 'Mukuro' and not as an experiment. Where his crazy family also has a place in the home of Vongola.

'_Creating something out of nothing, not having to conform to the mould'_

Kyouya is able to receive the human contact that he is obviously not able to obtain anywhere else, be it napping in the shadows of a tree next to his boss, or standing in the far corner when there was a meeting. He is free to do as he pleases, to be free in his entirety, yet, be able to come home to a grounded place he will never be shunned from.

'_Aloof and protecting before danger can arrive.'_

And Tsuna, Tsuna has his famiglia, he has his friends, and is able to feel the warmth of things he never thought he'd have. He can be Tsuna, he can be Dame-Tsuna, he can be Decimo, and Juudaime, or nobody at all, and someone will smile at him, and talk to him, and simply be with him for being him.

'_The ever accepting arms, the home for all and everything.'_

Still, in the back of his mind something is missing, or something is left eating away at the light in his heart, slowly flooding it with a pitch darkness that not even the smiles of those he loves are able penetrate.

Before he knows it, Tsuna is in the garden of his mansion. It has always been his favourite place, always full of colour and life, even in the dead of winter. His grandfather had many flora native to Japan flown into the Italian home when Tsuna inherited the title and office of Vongola Don, so there are both nostalgic, comforting colours, and relaxingly, new colours and shapes present at all times of year. It is often here he takes Chrome so she can express herself, or sits next to Kyouya during one of his numerous naps.

Right now, in the early evening of the summer, Decimo watches the various trees and flowers blowing in the chilled breeze of the evening. He enjoys what he sees, the flowers bloom with warm ambiance, and the smell of early fall herbs and vegetables drift tangibly in the air. All is peaceful, yet, something is amiss.

Over the years, especially after the future battles, Tsuna has learned his Hyper Intuition isn't something to trifle with or ignore. It had almost cost the life of his youngest guardian, Lambo, when he was ten. After that experience, Decimo learned to trust that mysterious part of his heart.

He stands where he is, from the bench he was sitting upon only seconds earlier, his eyes scan the edges of the preened garden. The bushes and trees act as fencing to protect the sanctuary seem quiet enough.

'_It must be my imagination then. Maybe I've had too much espresso tonight.'_

As Tsuna turns to leave with the thought of less espresso in his diet a strangled, heart breaking cry echoes from a near by freesia bush. The bush has always had a small spot in Tsuna's heart, it's stupid really, he simply enjoys the look and smell of such flowers, they simply remind him of the children who used to follow his mother around when he was in his mid-teens.

Walking over cautiously to the crying bunch of yellow and red flowers, Tsuna leans over with his hands in his 27 gloves. He has leaned to be cautious of such situations. Everyone could be an enemy, everyone could be out to kill Tsuna. It's a harsh lesson Tsuna had to learn when he was sixteen, it was hard for him to loose trust in many, and he still finds himself opening up too much to new people.

As his round, chocolate eye lean over the short flower petals, they soften to a sad roundness lost in the world of blood and evil. His eyes run over the form of a young, crying lump of hair and cloth.

A child. No older then four or five years old sat curled up in a sobbing mound. His short arms wrap around his folded knees, and his face is hidden in his knees. His clothes sit slightly dishevelled on his skinny body, but aren't extremely dirty and unmanaged. Fairly plain in his appearance the boy's hair sits slightly long, and extremely messy, the style is reminiscent of Tsuna's old look. Now however, a long ponytail joins Tsuna's appearance, making him look more, and more like his long passed ancestor.

"Hello there little one, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" his soft voice expertly rolls the Italian off his tongue, the language drilled into his entire being.

As the young body flinches under the voice, the young boy's eyes search for Tsuna's in the darkening evening. Their round, innocent orbs find their destination in the brown-orange spheres, and he flinches again.

'_Is he expecting to be scolded?'_ Tsuna can't help himself from crouching to the shaking boy to make their eyes meet more comfortably. After growing up with three children, Tsuna has learned how to earn the trust of a young boy.

"Hello there little one. My name is Tsuna. Can you tell me your name?" Tsuna smiles a soft smile that leaves his face too innocent to be boss of the strongest mafia family of the time.

Sniffles and sobs break down to hiccups and snuffles. A small hand unwrap itself from the boy's knees and makes its way across round cheeks and a red nose.

"M-my n-name i-is Sora." his voice, broken and young whispers in the night. His eyes fill with tears as Tsuna's eyes widen in shock at the use of the Japanese word as a name. "Nii-san, where am I?"

Taken back by the boy's use of Japanese and Italian in succession, Tsuna is left unable to answer the boy's question immediately, the boy fidgets uncomfortably and snaps the older male from his distracted thoughts.

"Sora is it? You are in my back yard right now. Do you not know how you got here?"

The boy freezes, his eyes allow a few tears to roll down his cheeks and he tries to keep the sobs, of what seemed like fear and confusion, from surfacing to his lips.

"N-no. Sora was just trying to get away when he ended up here, and it was cold, but it was pretty, so S-Sora wanted to rest, but he's sad."

The child's use of third person to address himself makes Tsuna blush with the cuteness, reminded very much of I-pin's same naivety. Tsuna frowns however, at the reason for the child's presence in the Vongola mansion.

"I see, well then, if you tell me what your last name is, or where you live I can help you find your family." Tsuna offers his hand to the boy and he flinches. The fear in his eyes turns to true horror as Tsuna's offer registers itself in the infant's mind. Tears well in the doe eyes and spill over his face, more cries shake his lips as he stares up at Tsuna in fear and grief.

"N-NO!" he flinched back into the flowers. "I-I don't want to go back there!" he demands as he closes his eyes and cowers into Tsuna's flower bed.

'_I knew it.'_

Tsuna's intuition knew the boy would refuse the help in locating his family. '_The boy hasn't just gotten lost this late in the evening.'_ There has to have be a reason. However, for the boy to protest so violently makes Tsuna curse the family who dares make a child so scared of help.

Looking over the boy, still cowering as far from Tsuna as he dares, Tsuna is reminded of a certain silver haired guardian of his. Lonely, lashing out because of all the rejection he has suffered, the boy has the same look in his eyes, that untamed animal lost in a world of glares and disapproval.

"Are you lonely, Sora?" Tsuna asks out of pure instinct. Even after all the years learning not to trust anyone, even after being betrayed countless times by the people he trusted, Tsuna can't abandoned the simple gesture of reaching a hand out to someone in need. He had done it for each of his guardians, he had done it to Shoichi, and to Spanner. He has gained more allies than enemies with such a gesture, he isn't about to abandon it in fear of being hurt again.

"What is l-lonewy Nii-san?"

"Lonely is when you are sad because no-one will be your friend."

"Sora has lots of friends in his famiglia, but his famiglia is very lonely and v-very sad. S-sora r-ran away because of his famiglia."

Tsuna's eyes soften at the mention of 'famiglia', the way he mixes his Japanese tongue, and his Italian words rises as suspicion in Tsuna's mind, only to be shot down by his intuition. In situations where Tsuna is blind on what to do, his intuition wins out. Of course the child isn't here to trick him.

"Your famiglia huh?" Sora nods slowly never taking his eyes off of his 'nii-san' and Tsuna sighs with a sorrowful look at the boy. He pities him. It isn't only his intuition, but his pure knowledge of the world he lives in that tells him the boy most likely belongs to another mafia famiglia. However, even with this knowledge, backed up by his intuition, Tsuna can't help but _know_ the boy means his famiglia no harm, if anything, Tsuna wants to enrol the boy into his family. He has always wanted a son of his own.

"N-nii-san…" the boy pauses as Tsuna's eyes rest fully on him again. "P-please don't send Sora away again, I-I don't w-want to go back to my famiglia again right now… I don't." he is very certain, if his shaking was anything too go by.

"Sora, don't you think your famiglia will miss you a lot if you don't go back?"

"N-no, they are always being mean and making Sora hurt here when I'm home." Sora touches his heart with the statement, and Tsuna realises the boy isn't physically abused as he fears, he is simply a very honest, and sensitive boy. His family probably bickers, and Sora takes it as his fault, and makes it his duty to try and fix.

"I see. Well then Sora, would you like to stay with me until your ready to go home?"

Eyes as big as the moon widen on the young boy's face, they fill with tears again, and the boy throws his arms around Vongola's neck in a vice like grip. Tsuna can't help but smile. He wraps his own arms around the young boy's figure and cuddles him to his chest. His warmth invades the young, shaking boy, and as Tsuna walks, humming a lullaby as he does, the warmth and movement lulls the boy into a slumber of dreamless bliss.

'_Such innocence in the mafia. So much like Lambo.'_

As Tsuna rocks the boy slowly, he can't help but notice a small, round hand clamped to his black waist coat, as if he is going to disappear.

Shifting his cloak over the boy's sleeping form, the temperature rises to a comfortable level and shields the boy from the scrutinizing glares of the guards who line the corridors, and stand outside the doors of the mansion. He tells the guards to gather his guardians in his office in the morning, the guards oblige and guarantee all, without guarantee on Mukuro or Kyouya, the guardians will be there.

"Thank you very much for your loyalty. _Buonanotte_." Tsuna greets each of the guards with his less than native tongue, the guards bow and take their posts as their boss slips into his room for the evening.

He slides the boy under the heavy covers of the king-sized bed, and prepares himself for bed. Nightclothes, teeth brushed, his schedule for the next day, the clothes for the morning, and of course his alarm clock. For the past ten years Tsuna hasn't needed an alarm, his daily thrashings from reborn has ensured he doesn't wake late- as if he has an internal clock- waking him no matter how exhausted he is, no matter where in the world, Tsuna wakes at six-thirty every day. However, Tsuna has made it habit to set at least one alarm, just in case something tweaks his internal alarm, or he needs an extra hand in the morning.

Tsuna slips into bed next to sleeping body of the boy and watches him sleep. In his dreamless slumber the boy doesn't toss or turn, he simply lies there under the warmth of the covers, and waits for the morning to come. Tsuna sighs to himself as he leans down and cuddles into his pillows.

"What am I doing?" looking at the child one last time Tsuna can't help but run his hand through his soft hair. The rhythmic motion lulls Tsuna into a deep slumber.

During the night, as both sleep, Tsuna shifts towards the child, and the child shifts towards him. From an outsider's point of view, the young boy in the embrace of the young man wouldn't look out of place in a family setting. Tsuna's protective arms around the form of the sleeping toddler look no different from a father's arms around his boy after he has suffered a particularly bad night mare.

**XXXXXX**

Tsuna is woken by the choked exasperation of his closed friend. His eye lids flutter open slowly as the morning sun invades his eyes and sends him into a momentary blindness. His mind subconsciously takes note of the blaring alarm in the background, but focuses on the red faced guardian's at the foot of his four-posted bed.

"J-Juudaime! W-what is… Why is… W-where…!" the silver haired boy's face goes from red to pale to red again leaving his stutters less threatening then they are obviously intended to be.

"Maa, maa Hayato, I'm sure Tsuna will explain things to us." his rain stands beside his storm with a red flush over his face, but holds an honestly amused smile on his lips.

Sitting up, Decimo's covers fall from his shoulder, and he rubs the sleep from his eyes. "Ohayou mina. What are you doing in here? I didn't fall asleep in my office again did I?" Tsuna yawns falling back into his native tongue.

His innocent smile spreads on his face, and it calms his storm enough to make a coherent sentence.

"G-good m-morning Juudaime, no this is your room." he explains.

"You called a meeting this morning, but since you weren't in your office we were sent to collect you. Everyone's waiting, even Kyouya and Mukuro."

Shifting to turn off the insufferable alarm Tsuna notices the time to be almost nine o'clock. He panics internally when he remembers that Reborn isn't home, he's on a mission in Japan at the moment. As he turns back there's a tug at his clothes and he looks down for the first time since being woken. A small hand grips his night shirt, and small eyes flicker in a vivid dream.

'_Ahhhh, so this is what Hayato is panicking about.'_

"Well, it seems I know why Hayato is so panicked." he laughs slightly. Said bomber blushes deeply and bows low, apologizing for his outburst. "Hayato, it's perfectly fine. I'll explain in my office. Wait for me outside while I get changed."

His two guardians nod and step outside while their boss changes into his black Armani suit. He slides his waistcoat on and leaves the fitted jacket hanging open for a moment. He's never liked wearing suits, they've always been too formal and uncomfortable. Even when they're made specifically for him, Tsuna found them tight and uncomfortable. Only Leon's suits are ever comfortable to Tsuna. With Reborn, therefore Leon too, out of the country, and his old suit getting too short, he has to make do with normal suits. Shrugging on his cloak, and securing it to his shoulders he allows the fabric to surround him in black comfort.

He pulls a comb through his mop of hair, and then through his ponytail, and securing it with one of his many ties, he allows it to swing down to his waist. Next he walks over to the young boy. He changed him into one of his old t-shirts while he was asleep. Of course it swamps the boy, but it's better then the dirty cotton he found him in.

Tsuna sighs heavily, if he remembers correctly, years ago he had bought Lambo clothes and the boy had refused to wear them, Tsuna keeps them still, Lambo was seven at the time, so the clothes are fairly big, however, the child's, Sora's, other clothes are already in the laundry.

Moving to his closet, and into the very back, he pulls out a pair of overalls and a white dress shirt. The overalls are a brown-green, suggestive of khaki. He moves to the still sleeping boy and attempts to wake him. The boy simply rolls over and mumbles incoherent mixtures of Italian and Japanese.

Sighing again, Tsuna undresses and redresses the boy in the clothing. As he finishes and pulls the boy into his arms, he cradles him close to his chest. He realises, to his dismay, that the boy is small for his age, he's skinny, and not very well built. He frowns slightly.

'_While Sora's here I'll have to be sure he eats more.'_

As he shifts his position to accommodate for the unfamiliar weight of the child, Tsuna allows his cloak to fall over the boy's form, successfully hiding him from view.

As he exit's the room he nods to the guards who smile and move to their next post in return. He spies his two guardians having a conversation in the corner, at the end of the hallway. As they spy their boss they smile happy smiles and fall into line at his sides.

"Yo Tsuna." Takashi greets him.

"O-haiyou, Juudaime." Hayato follows. Tsuna smiles and returns their greetings. He walks with his friends towards his office on the second floor. Their bedrooms are on the third.

As they walk, something seems to be bothering his right-hand man. As they walk he fidgets and looks at Tsuna with questioning glances.

"Hayato, is something the matter?"

"O-of course not Juudaime. What could…"

He's cut off by the glare given to him by his boss. "Hayato. Something is wrong. Don't be afraid to tell me if something is on your mind."

"J-Juudaime." the storm guardian looks down for a moment, and then looks his boss in the eyes. "Juudaime. Why didn't you tell me you had an illegitimate child? Could I not be trusted enough to know you had a partner?" his voice is suddenly serious and his eyes determined.

Tsuna falters slightly, he almost trips on his own feet. _'illegitimate child'? He couldn't be thinking that Sora is mine, could he?_

"Hayato, I don't have a child. I haven't had a partner since I accepted the roll of Decimo." Tsuna explains. "Sora isn't mine."

Both Hayato and Takashi stop in mid stride. "S-sora?" they question. Tsuna sighs and throws back the cloak from the sleeping form of the boy. The mound of hair and flush cheeks in their boss' arms shifts and rubs his eyes.

"Nii-san, buongiorno." Sora exclaims sleepily. The two men recoil from the mix of the two native tongues.

Tsuna reciprocates the greeting and Sora moves the cloak out of his line of sight. By now all three adults have stopped, Hayato and Takashi look at the young boy in their boss' arms in both awe and concern. Though the boy had a different face, and differently shaped eyes, it doesn't escape their notice that their boss is holding a younger version of himself in his arms. His guardians expressions don't escape Decimo either.

"He isn't mind guys. I swear to you." he holds up his free hand in a sign of honour and his right hand man takes a closer look at the young, now quivering boy.

"Oi! Who the hell are you, and why are you in Juudaime's arms!" his yells loud and sharp shake through the young boy.

Said boy cowers in Tsuna's arms and turns to hide his face in Tsuna's chest. Sobs break away into full frontal crying and the storm guardian takes a step back in shock. Tsuna immediately tightens his grip on the boy and shifts his weight around in a gentle rock.

"Maa maa Hayato. Look what you've done now. You should know by now that yelling at children does nothing but scare them." Takashi almost sighs. He leans forward and stoops so his face is about level with the boys and his boss' face. "Hey little one. My name is Takashi. I'm Tsuna's friend. Do you want to be friends with me too?" his smile, as infectious as always seeps into his voice and causes the young boy being rocked by decimo to turn around.

His sobs become hiccups again and his wide, chocolaty eyes zone in on the orbs of brown in the swordsman's face.

"Y-you're n-nii-san's friend?" he asks. When Takashi nods and smiles again a smile seeps onto Sora's face too. "Taka-nii… Sora wants to be fwends." he smiles and reaches out to the taller male.

Feeling a sense of happiness flood him at the young boys smile, Takashi feels obligated to pull the boy into his arms. Instinctively the boy weaves his arms around his Taka-nii's neck. As the boy hugs the older male, Takashi can't help but feel a connection to the boy. The feeling is nostalgic, he can't help but want to throw the boy in the air in a bout of good fun. As the ecstasy of the boy's smile overflows, Sora is thrown into the air with a squeal of delight.

Tsuna laughs slightly while Hayato looks on in disbelief. _'That yakyu-baka is actually getting the child to laugh.'_ his belief only heightens when the boy ends up back in his boss' arms with a smile bigger than should be possible spread on his face.

"Sora, do you want to meet my right-hand-man?" Tsuna asks softly.

"Right-hand man?" Sora asks back innocently and slowly

"Yeah Sora, he's the shouting man over there." Takashi points to a shocked Hayato who, until only a moment ago, has been sulking in the corner of the hallway.

"B-but he's scawy." Sora hides his face in a handful of Tsuna's cloak before Tsuna sighs and beacons his cowering storm forward.

"A right hand man is someone I trust wholly. He is my best friend. My first guardian." he explains to the question gaze of the boy in his arms.

"Guardian?" he asks, as if he's heard the phrase before, but doesn't understand it.

"Yes, a guardian is someone who protects me, and fights for me. My guardians are my best friends. Hayato and Takashi are my Storm and Rain guardians, my right and left hand men. They are my best friends." Tsuna elaborates.

"Juudaime…" Hayato looks at his boss as he quietly explains such complex things to a child, even though he has all the faith in his boss, he can't help but believe the child will not understand anything told to him.

"Oh! Taka-nii and Arashi-nii are Nii-san's friends!" Sora exclaims with joy as he turns to look at the silver haired boy.

**(Arashi means storm in Japanese, I figured since I made Sora part Japanese, and since his existence seems to make Gokudera Hayato loose his cool, I might as well make him even more irritating to Gokudera. So, Hayato, is dubbed by Sora, as Arashi-nii :3)**

"H-hello Arashi-nii! M-my name is Sora." the happy smile, and slightly flushed face makes the ever temperamental storm guardian blush with a pink dusting.

"Oi! W-what did you call me?" he exclaims, his stuttering doing very little to hide his blushing face from his boss and friend.

"Arashi-nii!" the young boy smiles. His innocent eyes close as his smile widens and becomes more prominent. In an innocent gesture, one very unfamiliar to the Guardian of storm, Sora reaches his arms out to him.

With such an alien gesture, the twenty-six year old guardian awkwardly reaches for the small boy. He picks him up under his arms and holds him in the air, slightly away from his body. A small pout forms on the boy's face, Tsuna and Takashi almost allow their giggles to slip between their lips as they watch Sora move in a way, far too intelligent for a four or five year old.

Sora shifts in the guardian's arms, that to someone without hyper intuition, looks like he is simply squirming and uncomfortable. However, Tsuna sees something in the eyes of the young boy. A determination, and also a softness, much like the look in Tsuna's eyes when he was teaching Hayato that being a friend meant being selfish, or when he was showing Kyouya he didn't have to fight to have some sort of comfort from other people, that if he wanted to be near someone, all he had to do was ask. Sora has the eyes of someone subtly teaching someone whose pride wouldn't allow a verbal lesson.

Sora squirms in the awkward hold of Tsuna's storm, as he does, Hayato has to move to not drop him. As Sora squirms, and Hayato moves awkwardly to compensate, they end up in a position far more comfortable looking. Hayato looks stunned at the child, it seems he too has noticed the lesson he was just taught.

He looks to his boss who smiles a seemingly knowing smile, then back at Sora. He smiles a cross between happiness and a smirk and ruffles the boy's hair.

"Well, things will certainly get more interesting with this brat around." Sora looks at his Arashi-nii with a pout as he tries to unruffled his dishevelled hair.

"So Tsuna, how are you going to break this to everyone else?" Tsuna stops in the middle of taking Sora from his storm guardian's arms.

"I was just going to, show them." he smiles sheepishly. Sora looks at his nii-san then to his Arashi-nii and Taka-nii.

Suddenly, his Taka-nii laughs a throaty, joyfull laugh. It starts off quietly, then gets louder and louder, until the thumping of his fist on the wall joins the sound. He stands up and wipes the tears spilling from his eyes as he looks to his boss and friend. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking how Kyouya will react to you having an illegitimate child." he laughs.

"Nii-sam what's an ill.." his thoughts are silenced by Tsuna's hand over his mouth.

"You don't need to know. It'll be fine, I'll just explain that he _isn't_ mine." Tsuna smiles and the four of them walk towards the office only twenty paces away.

Tsuna cuddles Sora closer to his chest and the child pulls the cloak protectively around himself, just before they enter the office of Decimo, Tsuna explains to the young boy that he'll be meeting the rest of Tsuna's guardians.

"The rest of Nii-san's friends?" he asks hesitantly.

"Yes."

He nods and pulls the cloak around himself again. The click of a door signals the Decimo entering and his five other guardians turn their heads to their boss.

"Sawada! O-haiyou!" Ryohei greets the younger male in his native tongue. _'Still doesn't really like speaking Italian huh?'_

"Kufufufufu. Good morning Tsunayoshi. You better have a good reason to call me to this meeting." he raises his eyebrow as he notices his boss' stance, but a warning glare from not only Tsuna, but Takashi and Hayato silences his unasked question.

"Bossu. O-haiyou." Chrome's timid figure huddles next to Mukuro's with a faint smile on her lips.

"Oya, oya Buongiorno Tsuna-nii." _'I guess he hasn't dropped that habit.'_

"Sawada Tsunayoshi, if you don't have a valid reason for this crowding, kami korosu."

Tsuna lets out an exasperates sigh. It's not like he had expected any other form of greeting, but it does get old sometimes when his guardians' greetings are this predictable.

"O-haiyou mina. I do have a valid reason for calling you here this morning. Also, I'm sorry I'm late." he feels the shifting under his cloak and notices Kyouya's and Mukuro's eyes trail over his chest, where Sora sits. "As of today we will have a new guest in the mansion. I expect all of you to look after him, and none of you are to harm him. I hope you understand." his words play a threat as well as an order to his guardians. They all look at him stunned for a moment, he feels the shifting of his cloak as a head of brunette peaks through the black fabric.

"Sawada! You 'EXTREMELY' have a child! Why didn't you tell us!"

"B-bossu." Chrome's face lights in a fury of red as Mukuro's eyebrow arches to a new height.

"Kufufufufu. Well I didn't think you had it in you Tsunayoshi." he laughs softly.

"Oya, oya. Tsuna-nii." Lambo laughs slightly.

"Sawada. Tsunayoshi. For having an illegitimate child, and disturbing the peace of the mansion, kami korosu." tonfus appear out of nowhere when Sora speaks out in a panicked cry.

"N-n-nii-san isn't being bad. I found n-n-nii-san!" his eyes water and his face breaks in a way that leaves even the almighty Kyouya ruffled with a dusting of pink on his cheeks.

"Kufufufu. Hello there usagi. What may I ask is your name?" the mismatched eyed, blue haired illusionist appears before Sora with his nose surprisingly close to the boy's own.

"S-S-Sora… what's nii-san's name?"

"Kufufufufu. I am Mukuro my little usagi." he laughs.

"Mukuro is my mist guardian Sora."

"Muko-nii." he nods and Mukuro stands with a surprised expression. His eyes look between Sora and Tsuna, and a soft smirk lies on his lips.

"I'm taking my leave now Tsunayoshi. I think thinks are about to get a lot more fun around here." and with that the illusionist leaves without another word.

"B-bossu…" Chrome steps forward, a little shyly she looks to Sora.

"This is Chrome." Tsuna gestures for the boy. "She is also my mist guardian."

Sora looks at the shy, violet eyed girl and smiles. He reaches out of Tsuna's arms and holds her hand. She moves forward with the gesture and he kisses her cheek softly. "Chrome-nee is pwetty." a violent blush explodes on Chrome's cheeks and Sora laughs happily. Chrome bows and leaves without another word from her lips.

Tsuna exchanges another glance with Hayato as they realise just how intelligent, or at least natural with people, Sora really is. So far he's known exactly what to do with two of the more awkward guardians, and it doesn't seem like it's going to stop there.

Suddenly the smiling child is plucked from Tsuna's arms and thrown into the air with a shocked squeal. The sharp sound soon turns into fits of laughter as he's caught, and thrown again by the raging sun guardian.

"Oi Sawada! Can this little man join my training!"

Sweat dropping slightly, Tsuna smiles at his sun guardian's excitement. "Maybe later, for now you and Lambo can play with him whenever you want." he smiles.

A look of excitement crosses the youngest boy's face, soon to be hidden with an unimpressed look. "W-whatever." the young man scoffs. "I'm the great Lampo!" he exclaims to the young boy being shoved in his arms.

"Lampo-nii-sama. Lampo-nii-sama will play with Sora?" the boy's eyes light with shining joy and Lampo is left in it's wake. He hands the boy back to Ryohei with a cough, a ruffle of brunette hair, and the promise of playing in the garden later.

Tsuna looks to Hayato, again, Sora has figured out how to interact with people he's never met.

"That was my thunder guardian, he's the youngest." Tsuna laughs. "An this is my onii-san, Ryohei, my sun guardian."

"R-Ryo-Ryo-nii!" Sora exclaims with slight difficulty in the pronunciation.

"That is an EXTREME nickname Sora! We'll have to train soon!" he pumps his fist in the air with a calm smile as he exits. That leaves only one guardian.

"Herbivore. If you break the rules, kami korosu." tonfus glint in the morning light again and Sora doesn't even blink.

"Kyoya, put those away before you damage something. I'm sure he won't break the rules, or disturb the peace, because I'm sure you'll teach him the rules properly."

"Korosu-nii, Sora won't break the rules. I promise!" Sora smiles and touches the tonfu yet to be put away. "Wao! Amazing! Korosu-nii has shiny sticks!"

Kyoya twitches slightly at his new nickname and the reference to his tonfu being 'shiny sticks', but regardless stashes them away in the hidden holster on his belt. He replaces the tonfus with the young boy. At first he holds him awkwardly, and both Hayato and Takashi flinch. Then, to the two guardians' surprise, Kyouya smirks and holds him in a position very similar to the way Tsuna was holding him moments before. Hibird comes flying in and settles itself on its master's shoulder. Sora seems engrossed in the little bird. It's yellow feathers and little black eyes seem alien to the young boy. Tentatively, with a quick glance to the feared ex-head of the Discipline Committee, he touches the feathers and squeals a laugh that leaves Kyoya reeling.

"Don't make such a loud noise again." he explains to the young boy in his arms. Hayato almost falls over at the softness of the command. It isn't demanding, or even in his usual tone, it's soft, like he's used to talking to children.

As he hands the child back to his waiting boss he smirks at the younger male. "It should be fun to keep this little herbivore." and with a flip of his suit jacket the ex-prefect disappears into the belly of the mansion.

"D-did you just see that Juudaime?"

"Of all the people to accept Sora, I never would have believed Kyouya-sempai was one of them." the ex-baseball player exclaims.

"See, that only proves that you don't know him as well as you think." Tsuna laughs and places Sora on the floor.

The toddler doesn't seem to enjoy being out of the grasp of his nii-san and makes his way to the storm and rain guardians. With a lift of his arms in a universal gesture, the storm guardian picks him up and holds him in the same way he had only half an hour before.

Tsuna laughs and walks to his desk. Today there seems to be less paperwork, and more time for himself. Though he knows very well it won't last long. He looks at the scene playing out before him and can't help but allow a soft smile to dominate his face.

Takashi stands beside a smiling Hayato and whispers something in his ear that makes him blush a dark hue. Takashi laughs and attempts to take Sora into his own long arms. Sora laughs and grabs the jackets of the two guardians, laughing the entire time. They play pass-the-parcel with Sora for the next few minutes, Hayato blushing every time Takashi whispers to him, and Takashi getting a look of realisation in his eyes as he notices Sora's movements to teach the inexperienced storm guardian how to hold a child.

As the scene plays out, and the two men take Sora to the couches in front of Tsuna's desk, Tsuna starts to read through the various documents left to him to fill out. All of a sudden Sora looks away from his Taka-nii and his Arashi-nii and towards Tsuna. His eyes, serious and inquisitive delve into Tsuna's eyes of willingness.

"Is something wrong Sora?" he smiles happily as Sora's serious face becomes more serious.

"Nii-san?"

"Yes?" the two men playing with Sora stop and watch the exchange between their boss and his little counterpart.

"What is a herbivore?" 

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><p><em><strong>** Pass-the-parcel is a game where you pass a present wrapped in various layers of wrapping paper around in a circle. I simply used the image to show how Takashi and Hayato were taking turns holding Sora.<strong>_

**Uwaaa. As I wrote Hibari's piece I knew I'd probably get a ton of reviews saying how OoC he is. Well I don't care. I thought it would be beyond cute if Hibari liked the cute little herbivore.**

**So what do you think? Please be honest. **

**This is obviously non-canon (correct me if I'm wrong) I guess it could be considered AU (?) **

**As you've probably noticed, Tsuna calls all his guardians by their first name, this I feel would be normal considering how many years they would have been together by now. But if you haven't noticed I'm not Japanese, so please correct me if I'm wrong as I'm not very familiar with Japanese culture.**

**If you've noticed, Sora calls the guardian's as his big brothers, but I'm not sure I've gotten it right. So, if you've seen something in the way I use the suffixes, please tell me, I'll correct it right away.**

**Thank you for reading and be patient, I find this story much easier to write than a canon one, and since I have less chapters planned for this, it will finish while I'm writing 'E'la nostra ora incisa sull'anello'.**

**So please review. I won't cry if you're harsh! I promise.**

**Arigatou. Thank you very much. Grazie Tante! Ciaossu!**

**~~ Bleach-ed-Na-tsu. :3**


	2. The Darkness of Our World

**Hey again.**

**Here's the second chapter of 'Facing Demons, Facing You.' **

**Please enjoy the OoC and the cuteness (hopefully) of this little escapade.**

**Ciaossu!**

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><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

~The darkness in his world~

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><p>"<em>Thinking thinking"<em>

"Speaking."

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><p>Introducing Sora to his guardians had gone better than Tsuna could have ever asked for. His mind still looks over the morning's activities with disbelief, the man causing him most disbelief is of course Mukuro, mist's persona. Of all people to accept the young boy so easily, Tsuna hadn't thought it was going to be Mukuro. Hibari was no surprise to the Vongola boss, he had known all along his guardian of cloud would accept the boy. After all, Kyouya loves cute things.<p>

Still, his guardians acceptance of the strange boy leaves Tsuna wondering if brining such an innocent child into his life is a good thing. The life of a mafia is dark, dangerous, and leaves scars too deep to heal. Just by looking at his guardians, Tsuna can only imagine the emotional scars running through their entire bodies. Still, watching Sora smile in the garden as he plays with the rain and storm Tsuna can't help but feel maybe Sora belongs here.

Sitting on the bench, close to where Tsuna found Sora, he watches his intelligent new member teach his guardians things they need to know, the love of a family member, the warmth of interaction.

Today Tsuna spends with Hayato, his other guardians, as they usually are, are busy with their various works. Still, spending a day with Hayato isn't all bad, if you look past the obtuse language, and the constant drum of dynamite.

"Well, I have to get moving. I have lots of work to do." Takashi stands and brushes the dirt from the seat of his pants, he smiles, picks up his sword and walks towards Tsuna.

"For once yakyu-baka you have more work than Juudaime." the storm scoffs.

Sora squirms in Hayato's embrace until he's released. He runs towards Takashi and just as he trips, two long, strong hands wrap around his thin chest and throw him in the air. His giggles echo in the usually empty mansion, until he's finally settled in the cool arms of the rain.

"Awww, Taka-nii has to leave now?" his eyes plead with his big brother to stay. He certainly does gravitate towards the rain guardian just as much as he does Hayato or Tsuna.

"Yes Sora, I'll be back soon, I simply have to do some work for Tsuna."

"For Nii-san?" he asks curiously. His face swivels towards his Nii-san and he smiles at him softly. "Ok. I'll see you soon Taka-nii." he waves to the rain guardian from Decimo's arms as he leaves.

"So Sora, what do you want to do today?" Tsuna asks him softly. Hayato walks over to the pair and ruffles the boy's hair.

"Is Nii-san busy like Taka-nii and the others today?"

"Nope, I'm free until this evening." he smile.

"Then I wanna pway with Arashi-nii and Nii-san all day wong." he squeals.

Both Hayato and Tsuna laugh as they listen to the boy's giggles. They walk around for a while when Tsuna realises something.

"I think I know what we need to do today." he comments with the face of realisation.

Hayato, who until then was playing with Sora on the grass, looks up to his boss. He tilts his head, and Sora mimics the action. Tsuna can't help but let a laugh escape his lips as he watches the two.

"What would that be Juudaime?"

"We need to get Sora some clothes."

As if it weren't a simple task, Hayato runs into the mansion to prepare. Sora looks after him and then to Tsuna. His eyes question his brother and Tsuna can't help but laugh in response."Hayato is very… serious when it comes to things like this." Sora nods and the pair walk towards the mansion.

Since the morning, Tsuna has learned a few things about the boy. Those few things leave his fist clenched at his side and his teeth clenched to the point of shattering. Sora is incredibly clingy. Whenever he's around Tsuna himself, or one of his guardians, he demands to be picked up, it's not that he can't walk, more like he needs the warmth of the contact to live. Also, whenever someone lifts a hand in a certain way, or when any of the mansion staff mention cleaning, the boy goes rigid, as if the words are poison. The last is the boy's aversion to the guards, it's not that he's afraid of them, if anything he's less afraid than a normal five year old would be, it's just that, if they look at Sora he goes rigid, on the verge of fits. Tsuna's mind runs through a million situations that would create these subconscious reactions, for they can't be any more than subconscious, Sora has no knowledge of these reactions at all. The only conclusion that Tsuna can come to, no matter how many times he goes through the scenarios is that Sora is part of the mafia world, and, he is abused; both physically, and mentally.

Shaking his head free of such grotesque thought, Tsuna leads his new little brother back into the mansion. The guards eye the young boy suspiciously, even though it has been explained to them that the boy is no threat, they can't help but be suspicious, if not a little jealous of the boy. After all, he's getting all the attention of Vongola Decimo and the Vongola guardians.

"J-Juudaime, I've made a list of all the things we need to take care of a child Sora's age!" Hayato runs into the office with dishevelled hair and a piece of paper, slightly crumpled, in his hand.

"Hayato, he's a child, I'm sure there isn't much more than clothes and toys he needs."

Hayato blushes slightly, then looks down in shame. "O-of course Juudaime."

Scolding himself internally Tsuna almost kicks his own shin. _Of course Hayato is this excited, he's never had a true family, he's always been shunned out of families, for his less than professional tendencies. _Scolding himself and looking at his right-hand-man with anger for his past families Tsuna revaluates his thoughts.

Hayato has been Tsuna's guardian since Tsuna was fourteen, everyone knows that, however, long before Tsuna actually accepted the name and position of Vongola boss, Hayato had been his friend. Tsuna has worked hard over the years to bring Hayato out of the shell- his shield -he builds up whenever around new people, or even the people who once shunned him. Even with his efforts however, Hayato still acts to please others, and not himself. Everyday it pains Tsuna to see his best friend hurt by the memories of the hate directed at him, and the hate he holds for those who he once trusted.

Tsuna's fist crunches, his nails dig into his skin. If you look closely enough, you might see the drops of blood running along the pale digits. Ever since Tsuna leaned he was to be Decimo of Vongola, ever since he learned the true natures of Mafia life, Tsuna has hated the darkness. The blood, the death, the poison of the world, he could live with all of that, he does live with all that. He cannot deny that he is tainted, he has killed, and he will kill again, however, the dark world has crushed two of his guardians, and tainted the others. His cruel world is one he will never forgive, though- as he always reminds himself- he cannot truly place the blame only on the mafia world, he too is to blame for tainting his friends, and dragging them into this blood, and bullet crusted world of his.

As if sensing his wavering heart, and the pure blood lusting anger in his flame, Sora wraps his arms tightly around Tsuna's neck, his eyes pleading in a way that almost releases a gasp from Tsuna's tight lips. The look in Sora's eyes is one of empathy, a look that one can only give after experiencing the exact same pain.

"No. Thank you Hayato, I don't actually know what a child needs. So, why don't you tell me what we need to buy in town?"

Hayato's face brightens suddenly, he takes a seat in a chair before his boss with his smile only getting brighter. Tsuna smiles and listens as his right-hand lists of the various pieces of clothing, toys, and even the list of foods a child needs to be healthy. Tsuna looks at his guardian in awe, he marvels at the distance Hayato has gone to ensure Sora's health and well being, while in the care of males less than savvy on such matters as child care.

"I see. I never would have known any of this if you weren't here. Hayato, you've done a magnificent job. Grazie Tante." with a smile spread on his lips Vongola decimo leans across his desk and squeezes his guardian's shoulder.

Sora jumps from his brother's lap and runs over to the guardian of storm. He reaches up in a gesture Hayato understands and kisses the silver haired boy's cheek. "Grazie Arashi-nii."

Taken back by the innocence of the gesture the young man cannot stop himself from gathering the boy into an embrace that seems to surprise even himself. Tsuna leans back in his chair as he takes in the scene. He reminisces about the story of Hayato's mother. "_He probably hasn't felt such innocent, reciprocated love since then."_ he muses in his head. The thought both settles him and makes him angrier.

Unbeknownst to the leader of Vongola is the interaction between his brother and his storm. The little boy pulls back slightly from the embrace, and closes his eyes. He leans his forehead on the storm's own, and pushes back the hair covering their foreheads so their skin can touch, he leans so their noses together and settles in that position. Hayato doesn't more during all this, he simply holds the boy tightly in his arms. The warmth passing between the skin of the males envelops the two, as if being help by the sky flame of their brother, and boss. Sora smiles happily, a soft, gentle smile holding nothing but the innocent, unconditional love of a child, his cheeks light with a red hue tinting his cheeks. The storm guardian's eyebrows furrow in confusion at the child's actions, he remains unmoving nonetheless. Sora opens his eyes, such unfathomable, chocolate-golden eyes remind Hayato of his boss, but seem so different at the same time. A smile softly graces the boy's round face and his eyes become rounder as he takes in the guardian's expression.

"See Arashi-nii. You are warm, even if our world, and our pasts are cold. You don't have to be afraid of tainting anyone, or being betrayed by those you love ever again. You are so warm."

Without knowing what to do, without being able to say a single thing, Hayato's arms refuse to release the young boy. Sora doesn't panic, or even seem phased by his big brother's actions, if anything, his face reveals his expectation of such reaction.

"Well Hayato. Shall we go?" his boss' voice travels to him, he looks to the boy one more time, not totally believing he heard what he did.

"Y-yes Juudaime." he stutters only momentarily before the boy runs to Tsuna and he leads the way out of the office and towards the town.

Tsuna felt it, only for a moment. The sudden change in his guardian's emotional balance. Even now, while they walk to town, it's still changing. He knows why too. Sora, his amazing aptitude to teaching, to settling a twisted heart and soul. The child's mysterious power leaves him worried, and scared, but also with hope for his guardians. The change in Hayato is like the difference between one thunder storm and another, to everyone else that is, to Tsuna, the difference is a great as a rain storm and monsoon, he can feel it, the change, the twists slowly unravelling. It'll be slow, he's totally aware of that, however, his guardian's stern face softening is enough to make him feel a flood of warmth and gratitude for his new addition.

Subconsciously, Tsuna tightens his grip on the Sora, he momentarily stops his tour of his town and buries his face in the boy's light-brown, blonde hair. Sora stops for a moment in surprise but soon cuddles into the embrace.

"Thank you." Tsuna's whispers are almost missed by the boy whose ear is right next to his mouth, however, the emotions rolling off the older male make up for the worlds he can't speak.

Sora cuddles into Tsuna's embrace and turns to Hayato. He smiles to his other big brother and Hayato smiles back. He seems back to normal, to an outsider, it looks like he's completely normal, to Tsuna he's happier.

"So Hayato, where to first?"

The storm guardian perks up almost immediately, his smile lights up Tsuna's worries and he leads them to the first store. It's fairly small, and not at all grand. It's run by a local couple who make all the clothing themselves. Tsuna and his guardians make it their duty to support the local people, yes, there are larger, chain stores and companies in the town around the Vongola mansion, however, their products aren't to any of the guardians' tastes. None of them were raised in the highest class of families, Hayato never liked the style of his family, and Lambo spent most of his childhood with Tsuna and his mother. By supporting the local farmers, seamstresses, and butchers, Tsuna feels closer to the home left behind in Japan.

As they enter, the elderly couple greet them with happy smiles and amused expressions. "Well Buongiorno Mr. Sawada, Mr. Gokudera. What can we do for you this fine morning?" the old man greets the two with a firm handshake, and smiles at their relaxed expressions.

Though older than the two young men before him, the tailor isn't as elderly as many assume, he's been a long-time ally of the Vongola, so naturally he isn't feeble or weak. In fact, when in his prime, he and Nono would spar openly in the village square. Nono won of course, after almost fifteen years.

"Hello boys." the elderly woman greets them. They nod back and bow out of long standing etiquette. With a slight blush at their slip up, Tsuna and Hayato smile sat the couple before them.

"Buongiorno Mr. and Mrs. Ago. We're here today to buy clothing for the newest member of our famiglia." Tsuna smiles sheepishly and holds Sora towards the couple. He cuddles into Tsuna's cloak but moves it way from his face to greet the warmly smiling elderly before him.

"B-B-Buongiorno Mr and Mrs A-Ago." Sora bows slightly then hides himself in Tsuna's cloak again.

The couple are taken back slightly at the sudden appearance and disappearance, but smile none the less. "Well, well young Vongola, it seems you've been busy." Mr. Ago comments.

"S-sir! Your mistaken. Juudaime isn't one to do such a corrupt act!" Hayato stutters his protest.

"I know young Hayato. I was simply teasing your boss." Mr. Ago jests as the familiar atmosphere lulls the five of them into happy conversation.

"And it seems to have worked." the lady smiles as she goes into the back room to gather various clothes.

She comes out with arm full of shirts, shorts, pants, undergarments and pyjamas. Some are extremely casual; overalls, t-shirts, and jeans, and some of the clothing is extremely formal; collared shirts, waist coats, jackets, and black trousers make up just a fraction of the formal wear.

"What is all this? It's as if you've expected me to have a child for years." Tsuna exclaims as he rummages through some of the clothing.

The old lady laughs a soft laugh and looks at the young man's frazzles expression. "Well, you have to produce and heir at some point don't you?" she laughs again and Tsuna places Sora on a chair in front of a long mirror.

"Tsuna." Mr. Ago asks seriously. The atmosphere in the store suddenly turns serious, Hayato notices it immediately and turns to entertain Sora. Even with his back turned however, he listens intently to the conversation. "I know he may not be your son. But this boy…"

"Sora" Tsuna corrects.

"This boy, Sora, how will you introduce him to other famiglia… especially the ones not so thrilled about you producing an heir…" he whispers as he sets to work on some of the clothing.

"He will simply be introduced as my brother. Our resemblance shouldn't make it hard to believe. At least that way he won't be targeted as harshly as if he were my son…" Tsuna pauses and looks at the young boy in question. He sighs at his happy smile as Hayato changes him in to various outfits, each one seeming for a different season. "No matter what I have to do… I will protect that smile of his."

Mr. Ago sighs deeply as he watches the boss move towards the boy. He watches as the boy's eyes light with joy as Tsuna compliments him on his attire, and the way the Mafioso breaks into a warmer smile that he's ever seen. _'You don't realise that you're changing the mafia do you Tsunayoshi? You don't have to taint yourself, or give up your light to protect your friends.'_ The elderly man sighs again and moves towards the crowd of people trying to dress a squirming five-year-old boy.

"Well then young master Sora! What do you want to try on next?"

From outside the store laughter and squeals of delight can be heard. Customers walk by with smiles of content and confusion as they realise the small, white card hanging in the window of the door.

**Sorry, we're closed due to family matters.**

**We're sorry for any inconvenience**

As lunch time rolls around, Tsuna, Hayato, and Sora walk out of the store with two bags. They contain undergarments, two sets of pyjamas, one set of formal wear, and one set of casual wear for tomorrow. The rest of the clothing ordered will arrive at Vongola mansion by tomorrow afternoon. Most of the clothing for children Sora's age is too big, it sits baggy and disorderly on his sickeningly thin body, so they need to be taken in and adjusted for Sora's needs.

"So, shall we go to lunch now? What do you like to eat Sora?" Tsuna suggests as they walk through town.

"I like lotsa things Nii-san." Sora states

For once Sora is walking by himself, it seems in public he isn't so clingy, though, he still holds Tsuna's hand in a vice like grip. As they walk Hayato leads them to a small restaurant a few men knock into Tsuna and send both he and Sora tumbling to the ground.

"Oi, you bastards! What do you think you're doing to Juudaime!" even after so many years, Hayato hasn't lost his obtuse tongue, it has calmed down significantly, his string of curses has shortened, and it's only when he's either really angry or irritated that his old habit resurfaces. For instance, if anyone does anything unfavourable to his precious Juudaime.

"Hayato, watch your language around Sora." Tsuna stands and dusts himself off. His golden eyes whirl around to the men who knocked him down, and they take a step back.

"Che, what the hell is this weakling going to do?"

Hayato moves to rebuff the insult with even courser words when Tsuna intervenes. His golden eyes whirl to the men again, and then to Sora who sits sniffling on the floor with a scuffed knee.

"I expect you to apologize." his voice is cold and dark. Sora looks on with the look of deep empathy he gave to Tsuna earlier in the day.

'_It seems nii-san has drowned himself in being the perfect boss. Taking all the darkness from his famiglia, so they can remain bright like morning light'_

As Sora looks at the cold expression, as he listens to the dark voice demand an apology, his empathetic expression can't fully express how he feels, he knows what his nii-san is going through, through, he doesn't know why.

"Why should we give this pip-squeak anything… Oi! Angelo, isn't this that brat who ran from us the other night?" his voice changes and Sora freezes with recognition.

Tsuna turns to the boy and nods to Hayato, said right hand man picks the boy up in his arms and cuddles him close. "Sora." he asks coldly. It isn't as if he wants to be cold, however his voice causes shivers to run through the young boy, he smiles and warms both his cold, gold eyes, and his icy voice until they resembles the Hyper-dying-will mode. "Who are these men?"

"Wh-When Sora r-ran from his f-f-famiglia, I knocked into those two. S-so Sora had to run away from them… that's when I found nii-san." Sora elaborates.

"So these men aren't part of _your_ famiglia."Even Hayato notices his boss' distain when mentioning Sora's original famiglia, yet, both males brush it off.

"No." he nods with validity.

"I see. Then, neither of you are worth the effort. Apologize. Now." the men scoff and Tsuna sigh. The two men, gangly teenagers really, scoff and throw profanities at Tsuna. Hayato urges Sora to cover his ears and turns him away from his boss. In an instant the men are on the floor, eyes rolled back in their skulls.

Tsuna pats the dust from his pants and walks back to his right-hand and little brother. "Here you go Juudaime." Hayato smiles and hands Sora to his boss, he takes the bags from his boss' hands and shows them the way to the quiet, secluded restaurant close to the Vongola mansion.

"Nii-san. Where are those two men?"

"They're sleeping Sora." Hayato answers for his boss.

"Exactly. They were tired." Tsuna smiles. Sora smiles with relief as the warmth returns to both his brother's eyes, and his voice. He cuddles deeply into Tsuna's arms and causes Tsuna to falter slightly.

"You're ok right Sora?" Tsuna panics and stops walking. Hayato comes up behind them and watches as Sora cuddles closer to Tsuna, as is relishing in the warmth.

"Yes. I'm fine Nii-san. I'm hungwy."

Laughing heartily, the two adults walk into the restaurant and sit in the far corner. The privacy is calming and settles Sora into his seat. As they order food and drink, Sora is given some paper and colouring pencils, courtesy of Hayato.

"Wow Hayato. I wouldn't have thought of that. Thank Hayato, Sora." Tsuna smiles.

"J-Juudaime! You're being too kind. I was just fulfilling the job you gave me." Hayato smiles a wide smile, happy with behind able to please his boss, and his best friend.

The food they ordered arrives and Sora looks on in astonishment. Tsuna smiles as the pizza takes its place on the table, pizza, especially thin crust, cheese pizza is Tsuna's favourite. Without any knowledge on what Sora enjoys eating, Tsuna suggested something that most children enjoy eating. With Sora eating happily, and with Hayato watching the child make a mess out of nothing, Tsuna allows himself to relax back into his chair. It has been a while since he could last spend time with just his storm guardian. He's been busy, as he knew he would be, however, the lack of interaction between his guardians and himself has taken its toll. To have a day with his guardian, where he isn't being dragged into an argument with another family, or into training with his Spartan tutor, is the greatest feeling.

As he takes another bite of his pizza, Tsuna feels a tug on his cloak. He looks down into the drowsy face of his little brother. "Nii-san, can I pwease sit with you?" Tsuna nods happily and picks him up into his arms. He unconsciously wraps his cloak around the boy's form, and hands him another piece of pizza.

"So Juudaime, has there been any news of that new family?" Hayato asks as he finishes off his pizza. He pulls out a sheet of paper and starts crossing various things off it with a pen from an inner pocket of his jacket.

"Which one? The Manipolare?" after a nod of recognition he continues. "All I know is that they aren't a 'new' family in that sense. They've simply had a change of name. As for any news, it's all bad. They're pretty much Verde's perfect family." Tsuna sneers slightly.

"You don't mean…" Hayato starts and as Tsuna nods his heads he silences himself.

Tsuna points down to Sora and Hayato smiles.

"Shall we finish out shopping then?" he asks as he stands. Tsuna laughs and leave with their bags.

They continue their trip around the town, they order the various food items needed to care for a growing child, and even collect various toy and games for Sora, to keep him entertained. Hayato explains excitedly all the different recipes you can make, and how to make them interesting enough that even picky children will eat them. He explains the different games, and how they stimulate growing children. Tsuna can't help but laugh at his enthusiasm.

"I'm glad your so excited Hayato, I thought you'd disapprove of Sora staying with us." Tsuna confides.

"Any decision made by you boss, is a decision I will follow. Besides, Sora seems like he _should_ be in our family, he has that attitude, sort of strange, but mature, very much like you boss, and very much like each one of us." he mumbles Tsuna blushes with embarrassment, and he stops as they walk past one last toy store.

"Hold Sora for a moment, I'll be right back." Tsuna darts off and returns within a few minutes.

His smile assures Hayato that he's gotten something good for Sora. As Tsuna falls in step with his, slightly taller, guardian he looks to the sky. Such azure brilliance is darkened slightly by an on coming storm, black clouds filter into the azure, mixing, protecting, and hugging its sky.

As they arrive back at the mansion the sky darkens more in the early afternoon, Hayato excuses himself, explaining that he has some last minute papers to fill in. Hayato has to work together with Kyouya to make Sora's integration into Vongola go smoothly. Tonight when Sora wakes up, Tsuna decides, he will ask Sora officially if he would like to join Vongola. Tsuna smiles at Hayato, explaining that he too has work that must be dealt with.

"I'll see you at dinner then. We're having sushi, courtesy of that yakyu-baka." Hayato runs off with a wave and Tsuna nods back.

On his way to his office, Tsuna stops at his room, he drops the bags in the stand alone closet, he settles Sora on the bed momentarily before looking to the other two doors leading off from his room. One door leads off to his master bathroom. The other into his private study. He spends most nights typing away at his laptop, there are two bookshelves stocked with his private collection of books, a small desk, and a couch. Thinking about it, Tsuna gets an idea. If the room were to be personalised, made a little less cold and distant, it could be Sora's room. Smiling at his own idea he makes a mental note to order a small bed, and have the couch moved back into the main part of his room. He only had it moved into the study because he kept falling asleep before he made it to his bed.

Moving back to Sora he picks the boy up and takes him with him to his office, it's only been one day, Tsuna highly doubts Sora is able to navigate his way around the mansion. _'If he wakes up in my room alone, I wonder how he'd react?'_ not wanting to find out, Tsuna lays Sora on the couch in front of the roaring fire, one of the staff members must have set it earlier in the morning.

The sky rumbles with a low vibration of thunder that settles on Tsuna's bones. He can only imagine Lambo walking into his room in the evening asking to sleep with him. _'Even though he's almost sixteen now, he's such a scaredy cat.'_ shaking his head with the irrelevance of his thoughts, Tsuna sets out to work on the ever increasing pile of paperwork in need of his attention. _'If reborn finds out I've slacked off a day to relax with Hayato and Sora, I don't think I'd live to see another training session.'_

A few hours pass and not much takes place, a few mansion staff members come in to clean, and to pass on various letters from his guardians. A letter arrives form Dino announcing his arrival in the next week, one from reborn explaining his mission's success. There's another set of expenses from the Varia, and another bill from Mammon. Other than the usual flow of complaints and invitation, the evening rolls into full swing. When Tsuna finally sets his quill-like pen down, and pulls his back into a stretch, he walks over to Sora and strokes his cheek softly. The child stirs and Tsuna retracts his hand quickly.

"Nii-san? When did I fawl asweep?" he rubs his eyes and looks, bleary-eyed in Tsuna's direction.

"You fell asleep at lunch Sora. You must have been very tired. Do you feel better now?" Tsuna takes a seat next to Sora with a small bag in his hands.

"Mhmmm. Much better Nii-san!"

Tsuna stifles a laugh and hands Sora the little bag. The boy looks at it incredulously. Then he looks at Tsuna, and back at the bag. He touches it, then looks to Tsuna yet again. "What's this?"

"That is a little welcoming present, Sora, I have something to ask you."

Sora looks at him suddenly, his eyes flicker a lighter shade of brown, closer to the gold when the sky is painted in the morning light. He sits straight and looks straight into Tsuna's eyes.

"What is it Nii-san."

"Sora, I know you have your own famiglia, and I know they probably want you back… what I'm trying to say is, Sora, do you want to join the Vongola? As our little brother?" Tsuna's eyes bore into Sora's eyes and little tears prick in the baby's glowing orbs.

He throws himself at Tsuna, crying incoherent words. "Y-y-yes! I wanna be in Nii-san's and Arashi-nii's, and Taka-nii's, and Korosu-nii' s, and Muko-nii's, and Chrome-nee's, and Lambo-nii-sama's, and Ryo-nii's famiglia. I wanna be a Von-Von-Vongola!" Sora's cries turn into laughs as Tsuna cuddles him close and his fits of sobs stop.

Reaching over to the discarded bag, Tsuna hands it to Sora. Without hesitation he pulls out the gift inside. As he pulls the mass of fake fur form the bag he gasps. A soft, plushie body the colour of chocolate, a chesty mane of black and white with big dished ears, and a long snout with a brown, plastic nose ending the white muzzle. The ears flop slightly as Sora moves it in his hands, and his long tail curls around in a loose curl. With glass eyes as blue as the afternoons sky it stares at its new friend.

"Lupo!" Sora squeals as he holds the plush wolf to his laughs softly and points to the wolf in Sora's arms. "That's yours now ok? He'll look after you whenever I'm not around. Do you have a name for him?"

Sora nods enthusiastically and smiles with his eyes closed. "Balto!" Tsuna laughs again and ruffles his little brother's hair.

"That's a big name, for such a little wolf."

"Balto isn't small!" Sora roars, however, it comes out more as a squeak, and his scowl, more of a pout.

"Alright, shall we go to dinner now?"

Tsuna leads a smiling Sora towards the dining hall. Sounds of laughter and arguments drifts from behind the heavy doors, Sora's eyes widen at the sounds of the scuffles. "Don't worry Sora. It's just another evening in our house." Tsuna sighs slightly a he opens the doors.

As the click of the door sounds in the room, all the guardians, except for Mukuro, stand at attention. Mukuro eventually stands, but he's much slower, and unlike the other guardians, a smirk adorns his lips.

"Buon Sera, mina." Tsuna's tongue slips as he mixes his two languages together.

"Buon Sera, Juudaime."

"Konbanwa, Tsuna!"

"Sawada Konbanwa!"

"Kufufufufuf. Good evening Tsunayoshi."

"K-konbanwa, Bossu."

"Hello Tsuna-nii."

"Che. You're late omnivore."

Tsuna nods and sends Sora to greet everyone. As the little brunette walks around the table, Tsuna takes his seat and motions for the others to follow.

"Buon Sera Arashi-nii." Sora bows slightly and receives a ruffle of hair from the gruff guardian.

"Hello Taka-nii! Are you finished your work now?" Sora is lifted into Takashi's lap as the older male smiles his contagious smile.

"Yup all done." he sets him back on the ground.

"Ryo-nii Konbanwa!" Sora smiles and Ryohei smiles softly. He ruffles Sora's hair in reply.

"Konbanwa Sora! Have you had an extremely fun day with Sawada and Hayato?"

"Mhmm." he nods and moves on.

"Muko-nii!" Sora smiles a wide smile and the illusionist pulls the boy to his lap. Sora squeaks in protest until he settles comfortably onto the tall, lean man's knees.

"Well hello little usagi. Tsunayoshi, are you certain this child isn't yours? I can't get past his resemblance to you." the illusionist's comment causes the brunette at the head of the table to blush. Halting his conversation with Hibari and Hayato, Tsuna turns to protest.

"O-Of course Mukuro. I haven't had a partner since taking the seat, never mind a one-night-stand." he protests.

"Kufufufu. Whatever you say Tsunayoshi." he smiles eerily.

"Mukuro, you should be able to see he's not Tsuna's son. He may have certain similarities, but there are far more differences in Sora." Takashi laughs.

"Oh? Such as?"

"His eyes. T-they aren't as brown as bossu's." Chrome speaks up.

Sora smiles at her and greets her with a alight blush. "Buon Sera Chrome-nee." his smile makes her blush and she takes him into her arms. He settles and smiles happily.

"Seriously! His face is also a different shape to Sawada's!" Ryohei exclaims.

Everyone ignores the exchange and continues their conversations. Ryohei and Mukuro start on a heated discussion about the similarities and differences between Tsuna and Sora. While the conversations heat up, Tsuna watches the exchanges between Chrome and Sora. Sora's face holds a certain peacefulness that Tsuna frowns at. The only time he has ever seen a look so nostalgic and sad is when Lambo was with his mother when he was younger. The look of a child without a mother. Chrome has never struck Tsuna as the mothering type, she has always been too reserved for that, however, as she holds Sora close to her, and he cuddles into her arms, Tsuna can't help but see a loving young woman who will make an amazing mother one day.

Sora moves on after kissing Chrome on the cheek and gestures for Lambo to pick him up. The teenager looks at the boy incredulously. Tsuna moves to direct Lambo, when he does something he hadn't expected. Lambo leans down and picks the boy up. He sits him awkwardly on his knee and they start chatting. The position is reminiscent of whenever Tsuna would sit the five-year-old Lambo on his own lap.

"Buon Sera, Lambo-nii-sama! How awr you?"

"Buon Sera Mini Vongola." Lambo smiles softly and they start chatting about various things that Tsuna doesn't understand, or really isn't interested in. As they finish their conversations, Sora notices a certain yellow bird fluttering around a certain midnight-haired cloud guardian. He smiled widely and bows to the young teen who scoffs and says lines along the lines of 'silly brat, what would the great Lambo-sama need with a little kid?'.

Sora runs to the cloud guardian with a smile on his face, said guardian quirks an eyebrow in questioning, Sora slows down until he's almost within the cloud guardian's arm span, then suddenly, with little warning, he throws himself onto the cloud guardian. Everyone but Tsuna, Hayato and Takashi freezes, the cloud raises his eyebrow higher, and Sora laughs happily.

"Korosu-nii! Sora hasn't broken any rules today!" he smiles.

Tsuna almost laughs and Hayato only shakes his head. Takashi as always laughs into the background. Kyouya smirks and pulls the child into his arms. Sora braces his arms against the guardian's shoulders and leans his back against Kyouya's arms.

"Is that so? Are you sure?" he smirks.

The smiling face before him falls slightly and Sora's eyebrows furrow. "Um. Yes! Nii-san and Arashi-nii didn't yell at me, or tell me off at all today. I didn't make any loud noises either!"

Kyouya smirks again and ruffles Sora's head. "I see. Make sure you don't disturb the mansion then, little omnivore."

"Decimo sir, your meal is ready to be served." a butler comes out and bows to Tsuna's side.

Smiling politely Tsuna directs the food to be served. "Ok, you two will have lots of time to get acquainted. Sora take your seat now,"

Sora does as he's told and the food comes out in a rush. Platters of different sushi and Japanese styled cuisine rains down in front of the guardians. "Takashi! These look amazing!" Tsuna gasps.

"Hahaha. It's nothing Tsuna. I just figured, since we haven't eaten anything from home in a long time, that it was due time for me to step it up in the kitchen." Takashi laughs.

Everyone laughs along for a moment before they beings eating. The quiet sounds of munching and chopsticks makes Tsuna sigh in relief. He gets a few glances from Hayato and Takashi but smiles them off.

As the dinner continues, jokes rain down through the air. Tsuna laughs along and watches his family smile. No matter how many years he's been in the mafia, been a boss, the threat of becoming tainted by the blood and sin of Vongola still frightens him. Though, when he watches his friends laugh, when he sees Ryohei and Lambo arguing with their polar opposite personalities, when he sees Hayato and Takashi's relationship hasn't changed, and when he sees all his guardians accepting a child into their ranks, Tsuna can't help but think maybe becoming the boss of the strongest mafia is worth it.

"Our world isn't so dark when our nii-sans laugh, is it? You've made them happy by taking them in your family. You've given up your light, and they keep your world bright with the laughter you've given them."

Tsuna turns suddenly. His tawny eyes strike the source of the voice. Sora looks back at him with the golden eyes of a child far more mature than he should be. His words enter Tsuna's heart and he feels a tug on the thoughts he's been harbouring. He's wanted to hear such words for years, wanted to know his sacrifices are working. However, Sora's announcement rattles Tsuna to the core. Never has Tsuna told any of his guardians his feelings. Yet, after only a day, Sora has figures them our perfectly. With a hint of suspicion in his voice. With the thoughts of being spied on by another family, whirling around his head. Tsuna leans forward.

"I suppose it isn't so dark is it?"

With those words said, Sora's bravado crumbles away and he marvels at all the sushi, and all the other food stuffs. Tsuna settles into his chair with various thoughts, most about Sora's intelligence, and his ease around people. He can almost read auras, he read Hayato's hesitation around children, and Lambo's big headedness, he even read Kyouya's demand for discipline, all before actually knowing the guardians.

Thunder cracks across the sky, and lightning lights up the air. Lambo visible freezes and Sora blinks a couple of times. He turns around in his chair and looks at the different colours the lightning creates,

"Wao! Look Nii-san! Look at all the colours!" Sora giggles and watches the rain sheet the windows. Lambo stays visibly solid and looks between Tsuna and the sky with frantic eyes.

"O-okay, I think it's time we all went to bed, we'll be having a busy few days. I'll see you _all _in the morning, in my office." Tsuna waves his guardians off and watches Lambo as another sheet of lightning crackles across the sky.

"Lambo. If you need me, you know where I'll be ok?" Tsuna pats the boy's afro of black hair and he scoffs the hand off.

"Whatever Dame-Tsuna-nii."

Tsuna sighs and picks Sora off the floor. He bids a good night to his lightning guardian and takes Sora to their room. Changing the young boy into a pair of sky-blue pyjamas, and tucking him in, he changes himself into some plain black pyjama pants, and a white t-shirt.

"Nii-san?"

"Yes Sora?"

"Why is Lambo-nii-sama afraid of the thunder and lightning? It thought he was your lighting guardian."

Tsuna sighs slightly as he thinks back to the reason. "You see, Lambo has an incredible tolerance to lighting…""Tol-er…"

"Tolerance. It means he can handle it very well, better than a lot of people. "

"Tolwrnce."

Tsuna nods slightly with a soft smile, and continues. "Because of this tolerance, he was always being tested against lightning in his old home. I think, after many battles for me, he's grown afraid of lightning. He won't tell me why, I think he's afraid that he's grown less tolerant to it over the years." Tsuna sighs and settles Sora into bed. He walks to his study for a moment before settling into bed.

"That's not vewy nice. Lambo-nii-sama is nice, why did they make him be hit by lighting?"

"Because, some famiglia don't care about their children very much." Tsuna replies sadly. He hands Sora his Balto and lies down, almost falling into a deep sleep.

"I see. So like my famiglia then." Sora sighs and shakes his head. "No, nii-san is my famiglia now. Not them." he settles deeper into his nii-san's embrace when Tsuna suddenly stirs and wakes up.

"Wait here a moment Sora." with that he exit's the room, much to Sora's surprise.

Leaning against the wall, and sliding to the floor, Tsuna brings his knees to his chest and turns his head to the left.

"Lambo. Do you want to come in?"

"Che, Dame-Tsuna-nii. Why would I want to go into _your _room? I have my own." a sudden clap of thunder sends the teenager into a fit of shivers. He wraps his arms around his bent knees and cuddles into a ball.

Sighing sadly at the pain of his guardian, Tsuna asks again. "Lambo, I need you to come in. Will you?"

"I-if it's for Ts-Tsuna-nii then I guess I could come in."

Tsuna smiles and walks to his bed. Sora takes in the slightly shaken guardian and smiles. He shifts and reaches for Lambo. Lambo accepts the gesture and cuddles the child close. Then, Tsuna cuddles both the boys to his chest and almost immediately falls asleep. As thunder and lightning argue in the sky, Lambo's shaking increases, subconsciously Tsuna's arms tighten and the shaking lessens. Lambo smiles and settles to go to sleep. As he drifts off, he catches Sora's words.

"See Lambo-nii-sama. Just because you weren't allowed to be selfish in the past, it doesn't mean you can't be selfish from time to time. Nii-san will _always_ love you. No matter what."

Without the drive to wake himself up to protest, Lambo smiles into his sleep, with the knowledge that Sora's claims are true. Sora smiles as he watches his brothers' faces smooth out in sleep. He rests his head against Lambo's chest and feels Tsuna's arms tighten around the shivering pair. The perfect scene of brothers comforting each other, easing their minds of all fears and hesitations.

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><p><em><strong>Grazie  grazie tante = thank you / thank you very much**_

_**Buongiorno - Good morning**_

_**Buon Sera - Good evening (after 6)(Italian)**_

_**Konbanwa - Good evening (Japanese)**_

_**Mr. & Mrs. Ago - Ago means needle in Italian.**_

_**(All these translations are from online. If I'm wrong. Please tell me.)**_

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><p><em><strong>In case you're curious, Balto is a sled dog, his story was my favourite when I was younger, so I decided to just roll with the name. His story originates in Nome, Alaska, he helps save the children of Nome from an illness by leading a sled team with the vitally needed medication. If you want for find out more here's a link.<strong>_

_**http:/ en. / Wiki / Balto (Take out spaces.)**_

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><p><strong>Well, this story has started going on a completely different line than I had first intended. No, seriously, I've had to completely re-write the plot and chapter plots etc.<strong>

**So please bear with me, I'm so glad for all the people who liked the last chapter, I realise now I made quite a few typos, when I have time I will un-typo them and fix the first chapter.**

**Arigatou. Grazie Tante. Thank you very much. For reviewing and reading!**

**~~ Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3**


	3. Returning  Tutor Resurrected Emotions

**Well Ciaossu!  
><strong>**Here's another chapter of 'Facing Demons. Facing You.' Please enjoy.  
><strong>**As you've probably guessed already, Sora is much more intelligent than he probably should be. Do not worry! All this shall be explained soon. (Not in this chapter really though.)  
><strong>**Please Enjoy despite the grammatical and spelling issues I am prone to.  
><strong>**Read and Review please! I won't cry no matter how harsh you are with your critic!**

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><p><span>Facing Demons. Facing You<span>

~Returning Tutor, Resurrected Emotions.~

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><p><em>'Tsuna and guardians' thoughts'<em>

"Tsuna and guardians' speech."

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><p>Tsuna's head suddenly jerks up. His tawny eyes scan the area suddenly. It's his intuition that has brought about the sudden worry for the child sleeping on the couch across from him. Tsuna sighs slightly, his eyes soften as he takes in the sleeping form of the child on the couch. He can barely believe it's been a week.<p>

'_What changes he's brought about.'_

Tsuna smiles again as he tucks the blue, and orange blanket around the small form of the child. Hayato had bought Sora the blanket a couple days after his arrival. Taking a seat next to Sora for a moment, Tsuna goes over the various changes Sora had brought about over his first week.

All of Tsuna's guardians, especially those who were with Sora and Tsuna every day, had become less tense, more at ease with themselves. When they ate breakfast and dinner together, they'd smile at the greetings they'd receive from Sora, and smile a little more often than usual.

'_What power does Sora really have? To have such a drastic influence on my guardian, what must he have gone through in his old family.'_

Absently ruffling Sora's hair fondly, Tsuna almost forgets that Sora isn't originally a Vongola member. He is in-fact an outsider who Tsuna, and his guardians, have decided to take in, and have decided to raise. One day his real family will probably come to find him, and on that day Tsuna had no doubt he'd fight to the last breathe to keep Sora out of their hands.

Standing once again, walking to his desk- which is yet again piled high with expenses, and other family matters- Tsuna's eyes catch sight of the calendar hanging on the wall. For some reason, as he turns to move back to his desk, his eyes scan the calendar with scrutinising detail. One of the squares, a few days from now, holds Tsuna's elegant script. As he re-reads the scripted letters, Tsuna's eyes widen substantially.

A knock at the door alerts Tsuna to his right, and left-hand men entering the room. Their laughter ceases as they look at their boss' tense, scared posture. Immediately they scan the room for danger, their eyes immediately search for Sora, and then to the source of their boss' fright. Confused and panicked, the rain guardian takes a few steps forward, Hayato close on his heels. He carries his sword in one hand, and another small stack of papers in the other, Hayato has a few dynamite in his hands, the few he managed to take out before realising there is no danger.

"Yo, Tsuna! What's the matter?" Takashi almost laughs. His laughter is nervous.

'_Has Tsuna had a mental breaking down? Maybe we shouldn't have told him what the Varia did to their mansion.'_

"…coming home." Tsuna mumbles, his eyes still bore into the innocent calendar on the wall.

"I'm sorry? What was that Juudaime?" Hayato finally reaches just off to his boss' side when Tsuna turns to look at his guardians.

"Reborn is coming home in a few days."

The sound of clattering dynamite, and scattered papers fills the air. Takashi's face for once doesn't show his usual, quirky smile, and Hayato's eyes widen in understandable shock.

"Sora." both Hayato and Takashi breathe together.

While reborn had regained his adult body, and so had the other Arcabalano, he stayed by Tsuna's side, ensuring he was leaving Vongola in capable hands. Tsuna has a sneaking suspicion that Reborn doesn't actually want to leave, and Tsuna knows he will never chase his ex-tutor from his family. However, Reborn is suspicious of any, and all new comers into the famiglia. He isn't cruel, or violent towards them, but his scrutinising, threatening stare had scared many new members away permanently. All three men fear for the already shaking mental health of the young boy they have become so attached to.

Taking a deep breath, willing himself to be the boss he fought to become, Tsuna stands tall and walks over to Sora's sleeping body.

"We'll just have to see how it plays out. If it comes to it, I will fight Reborn for Sora's sake. He deserved to be in our famiglia."

"Don't think we won't be by your side, Tsuna. We believe Sora belongs here just as much as you do." Takashi ruffles the stack of lightly shaded, brown hair that is now in Tsuna's arms.

"Yakyu-baka! Of course Juudaime knows we'll be by his side. He isn't an idiota like you." Hayato huffs indignantly. He too ruffles Sora's hair before leaving the office with a 'buonanotte' to his boss and a 'che' to Takashi.

"I'll see you in the morning Tsuna." Takashi also walks away, after collecting the dropped papers and placing them on Tsuna's, already full, office desk.

Tsuna sighs for the coming arguments. He knows reborn means well, and that he may be more lenient about Sora joining his family than he thinks, but Tsuna knows for a fact he won't be happy about it. Though, in the end, reborn actually has no say in the matter, Vongola is Tsuna's now. He is the boss, and if he declares that Sora is part of the family, and that they will fight to protect him. Reborn, and no-one else, has any say in the matter.

Sora stirs in his sleep, he opens his chocolate eyes, lined with golden flecks and rings, and stares at Tsuna with a hint of worry gleaming behind the fatigue.

"Nii-san. What's wrong?"

"Nothing Sora. Everything's fine. Are you ready for bed now?" Tsuna's smile does nothing to placate Sora's frown.

"No. Nii-san stiw has wowk to do." Sora pouts, his cheeks expand with the expression. Tsuna's can't help but laugh a little. "Besides, Korosu-nii said he wiwl 'kami korosu' Nii-san if he doesn't finwsh all his wowk." Tsuna's smile falters slightly.

'_He's been spending a little too much time with Kyouya.'_

When Sora spies his Nii-san's sweat-dropped expression, he smiles a wide, slightly mischievous smile, then, he cuddles into Tsuna's chest and yawns. Tsuna laughs softly, and walks towards his desk, Sora still firmly in his arms.

"So, if Kyouya's going to do that, you better make sure I do all my work, right?"

Sora's head bobs in a nod furiously, a smile spreading on his round face. "Uh-huh." another yawn follows. Tsuna takes a seat, and releasing Sora with his right hand, he begins to sigh, and sift through the various paperwork that needs his attention. Sora shuffles into a more comfortable position, he uses Tsuna's suit jacket as a blanket, and watches his Nii-san with tired, curious eyes. His days usually end with him sitting in Tsuna's arms, watching him work away at all the different papers. If he were better at reading, he would offer to help, but his reading is very bad.

"Ne? Nii-san. Why do you have so many papers with all those numbers on them?" Sora yawns as Tsuna places yet another expense form to the side. Despite Sora's inability to read, he is an incredibly intelligent child. As soon as Hayato found out such a detail, he started teaching Sora in a more gentle way than Tsuna has ever seen in his guardian of storm.

"That's because a bunch of our big, loud brothers, and their little brother, can't go a day without breaking something." Tsuna mumbles more to himself, than to the child in his arms.

"Mowr Nii-sans?" Sora asks hopefully. "Can I meet them?"

Tsuna looks down into Sora's eyes and wants to refuse, however, he knows that one day, if Sora stays in Vongola, that he'll have to meet the Varia. Possibly even Tsuna's own 'Mafia Nii-san', and the Vongola's not-so-little brother also. Maybe meeting them at an early age will start a brotherly relationship between them.

"_And who knows? Maybe Sora's power will tame the beasts of the Varia better than I can."_

With that thought at the back of his mind, Tsuna can't help but get curious. Though Sora has been with them for a week, they only know a few things about him. His famiglia has many problems, and Sora feels it's his fault that there are so many. Tsuna also knows that Sora didn't necessarily run away, he says he 'lost' them a little while before Tsuna found him. What they don't know is what Sora was going through in the family, all the guardians worry that Sora didn't just endure physical, but also emotional abuse. His clinginess, and his flinching at certain words or phrases has Mukuro worried.

"_That boy, there is something different about his mind. There are barriers that I don't want to try and break down. If I did, I couldn't guarantee our little-Sora would survive. There could be serious abuse hidden deep in his mind; for good reason." _Mukuro had told Tsuna one day after they spent time together.

Sighing, Tsuna looks down into Sora's eyes again, the boy still looks for the answer to his question, and starts pouting as he realises he's not getting one.

"Of course Sora, one day you'll meet all the other big brothers in Vongola, including some of mine." Tsuna smiles when Sora nods, and gets back to his work; lest he be bitten to death by a certain cloud guardian.

Within less than half and hour, Sora's soft breathing evens out, and he sighs into a deep sleep. Smiling, Tsuna continues his work deep into the night. It's only when his storm guardian appears with a midnight snack, that he realises how late it truly is.

"I think you should be going to bed Juudaime." Hayato knows that nothing will get his boss to bed until he's ready. But he can, and will try his best.

"I know, I know. I only have one more stack of papers to finish though." Tsuna pouts and gestures to the stack of papers to his left. His facial expression changes slightly, as if jolted by something. "Oh, Hayato I have a few things for you." he stands, adjusting his position to suit the sleeping child, and strides towards the coffee table.

Other than the usual books and coaster, the coffee table currently acts as the resting place for three lever-binders, six, thickly filled, brown envelopes, and stack of maps. Gesturing to the gathering of paper and plastic, Tsuna explains exactly his thoughts.

"This is all the information we have on the Manipolare, or as they were known until recently, the GM famiglia. I want you to look over it. Memorise it. They are our greatest threat right now, Hayato. I don't want to be caught unawares. Especially by a famiglia like theirs." Tsuna's voice rattles with the cold resolve Hayato recognises, his face sneers at the last sentence, Hayato knowing exactly the reason for his boss' distain.

Seeing his boss' eyes fill with a cold fear, and a hot resolve, he can't help but sigh with pride. His boss is the greatest boss in the mafia. He is the youngest, the most inexperienced, but never, since the time of Primo Vongola, has there been a boss who has cared more about his famiglias' life; about all human life.

"Of course Juudaime. I'll get right on it." his pine-needle eyes fill with resolve, and Tsuna can't help but smile at his guardian's growth.

With quick movements, a bow, and long strides, the papers appear in Hayato's arms, and he's out of the door, most likely off towards the kitchen, before inevitably arriving in the library.

"Sometimes I think Hayato takes his job _too_ seriously." still, Tsuna can't help but let the sigh turn contented.

Hayato's growth, and his trust in Tsuna, can only make Tsuna's heart grow warm. Looking towards his desk, and seeing the pile of papers left to do almost inexistent, Tsuna decides, as the boss, to go to bed. He imagines the look on his cloud guardian's face when he sees even _one_ paper left to see to on his desk.

"_Oh well Kyouya, you'll have to deal with it. I'm tired"_

Walking into his room, and placing Sora into his own little bedroom. Tsuna relaxes into his night clothes. He strokes Sora's lightly browned hair and sighs again. He feels an unbreakable connection to the boy before him, a feeling he cannot even begin to describe, as if he wants to crush Sora to his chest, wrap his arms like a cage around him, and not let anything touch the boy. He knows his guardians feel the same way, even Mukuro and Kyouya. It's strange, and even Tsuna himself can't fathom the reason behind his attachment. His intuition seems to make the bond only stronger, as if it's telling him to protect the boy, against everything, against everyone.

"What am I going to do with you, Sora?" stroking the boy's hair one more time, Tsuna quickly scans over the various pieces on information on his desk, before finally going back to his own bed.

Staring at the white ceiling, in the dark, empty room, Tsuna contemplates the information strewed on his desk in Sora's room. Ever since the decision to have Sora join their family, Tsuna spared no energy _trying_ to find Sora's real famiglia, looking for missing children's reports, even relying on Fon and Mammon's information networks for any suspicious movement in the allied, and rivalled famiglia. For all the effort, Tsuna has come up with nothing. When he says nothing, he means it; there isn't _one_ piece of information regarding Sora, his birth, or his origins. Nothing. The boy is no-one.

Allowing his eyelids to listlessly close, Tsuna is dragged into one of his current phases; nightmare visions.

It started about the time Tsuna turned eighteen, they started off slowly, only occurring when something bad was happening, now, they occur frequently, and they are relentless when something bad is about to happen.

Tonight is no different. While at the same time it is totally different. The dream starts normally, with Tsuna and his famiglia; Dino, Fuuta, Bianchi, even the Varia are here. However, there is one new face, Sora's. He sits on Xanxas' lap, playing idly with the feathers coming from the collar of his jacket. The other Varia members argue with their boss for time to spend with Sora, and Tsuna's own guardians argue with them about Sora not needing to have such 'inappropriate role models'. For a moment Tsuna is stunned, before he too is taken into the group of joyous calls and happy smiles. That's when everything turns.

From being in the arms of his warm famiglia, Tsuna suddenly finds himself in a dark place. Sora sleeps soundly in his arms, but the feeling that Tsuna should run as far away as he can, alerts him to the severity of his situation. Flashes of light play flashes of memories. Faces are blank, but the images are clear. Surgical tables, blood splattered floors and walls. There are devices for restraint, and cages with makeshift beds in the furthest corners. The images are reminiscent of everything Tsuna knows Mukuro and his little family had to endure. Suddenly the images change to scientists torturing various children, giving them drugs that make them arch off of the metal tables. The edges of the flashes grow darker, and redder as they show Tsuna the results of the drugged children. More images play voices, louder than the desperate screeching of the dying children. "You're not worth anything!", "It was a failed specimen, he couldn't even deal with a single argument.", "Just kill him off. It's obvious now he was a lost cause.", "Maybe he should be 'cleaned' again?", "Give him more serum." the conversations go on, all the doctors, though Tsuna can find no grounds to call the robed monsters in his mind doctors, laugh as the children scream and cry. They cackle and point, as if watching a comedy. Though, no laugh escaping form their lips could ever be uttered by humans. Finally, as the flashes drive Tsuna's heart, and his stomach to the edge, they show a man, around Tsuna's age, maybe even a couple of years younger. He sits behind a mahogany desk, he leans back comfortably in a high-backed, black, leather chair with a smirk gracing his pale, handsome face. The smirk scars his features, turning a handsome man ugly. Upon the breast of his white, pinstriped suit, an emblem hides in the shadows. Even hidden, the emblem rattled Tsuna's memory, it causes his intuition to shriek in his mind, screaming to run, and not look back. But Tsuna can't move. He tried, he demands his body to respond. He cries, tears streaming his face, his voice going horse with the screams of protest, begging the men to stop their torture. Finally the man's smirk widens, as if revelling in Tsuna's pain. He points, towards a row of children before him, their numbers insignificant compared to when the dream started. "That one, that is the one who shall become the next me. The perfect boss to continue this blood parade known as the mafia." Tsuna shudders. The boy before him, in the dream, has lightly browned hair. His body is small, and frail, too skinny for it's own good. Tsuna tightens his grip on Sora in his arms, trying to protect the boy from the sneering face of the man. That man, that evil, tainted man looks to Tsuna, his crimson eyes finally peaking through the shadows. His long, pale finger points to Tsuna, but Tsuna realises to his horror, that it isn't him the man is pointing towards, but the child in his arms, oblivious to the whole situations. The man smirk turns sinister, his face twists into insanity, laughing rips from his lips, and Tsuna pales, his stomach almost at the edge of it's ability.

"That is the one. The child who will take my place. He shall lead the next generation of the blood parade."

The cackling voice then turns its hounds on Tsuna. "Just watch Vongola Decimo, that child will be mine, and I shall break him beyond repair."

And Tsuna is out of bed, his back is pinned to the farthest corner in the room, his breathes are huffed and staggered, and his entire body is covered in a sheen of sweat that glistened sickeningly in the light in the room. Flickers and splutters of the purest sky flam in the mafia world are thrown into the air from Tsuna's hands and his head. His ring glows menacingly, like a cat with its back arched in the face of an enemy. There's a squeeze around his neck and he freezes. His breath stops, and if he didn't know better, he would believe his heart stops too. There's a trembling, then a whimper, until finally Tsuna's breathing begins again. The tightening of his arms around the shaking form of a child makes his body realise the threat is all inn his head.

"Nii-san! N-nii-san! W-wake up!" the child cries. His tears jerk Tsuna even further out of his dream. The tears spill and glow like blood in the light of the flame.

"S-Sora?" Tsuna questions, as if not believing the child is truly in his arms.

"Nii-san! W-why were you screaming?" his questions don't really register with Tsuna, and even when they do, they only conduce more to roam his tormented mind.

"S-Sora, you…" he stops himself. If what he saw was correct, Sora's delicate mind would be crushed.

Suddenly, with a door thrown off its hinges, Tsuna's guardian barge into the room. Sweaty, dishevelled, sleepy, it's fairly obvious that they ran all the way from their rooms, spread out in the mansion, to their boss.

"J-Juudaime! Are you alright?"

"Tsuna! What happened?"

"SAWADA! That was an EXTREME scream!"

"B-bossu!"

"Kufufufufu. There better be a good reason we're out of bed, Tsunayoshi."

"The great Lambo-sama isn't please Tsuna-nii."

"H.E.R.B.I.V.O.R.E. No-one _dares_ disturb my sleep."

Tsuna gulps. Audibly. "Ummm." his dying will flame extinguishes itself as his body relaxes subconsciously to the appearance of his guardians.

Then suddenly Sora starts balling. He cries and cries, and calls out incoherent sentences. Everyone stops. Hayato almost drops his bow. Takashi almost drops his box weapons. Ryohei is silenced. Chrome looks on devastated at the sounds of the distraught child. Mukuro looses his smirk and gains a dangerous glare. Lambo suddenly snaps to looks at the boy. Even Hibari stops reaching for his tonfu mid grasp.

"S-Sora what's wrong?" Hayato is the first to speak, followed by Takashi and Chrome. Ryohei is the last to speak, all uttering their concern for the balling child in the boss' arms.

"N-nii-san was screaming. H-he wouldn't wake up!" the child screams into Tsuna's chest.

"Sora. I'm alright now." Tsuna smiles at the child, then casts glances at his cloud, and male mist guardians. Their eyes recognise the inaudible command, and they shrink into the shadows of the room, as far apart from each other as they can get though.

"Juudaime. Are you sure you're ok?" Hayato moves forward. He pets the child's head, and then the crying ball of mess turns on him.

"Yes. I simply had a nightmare, Hayato." when he spies the worried looks of both his storm, and rain guardians he shakes his head. "I'll explain to all of you tomorrow. Reborn should know about this too, and I can guess he'll arrive tomorrow, a day before schedule, as usual." Tsuna shakes his head and moves to remove the still crying child from the rain guardian's arms, where he has ended up since migrating from the storm, and female cloud guardian's arms.

"Meet me in my office after lunch tomorrow. I'll explain everything then."

Everyone nods with understanding and leaves. Each one bidding the still lightly sobbing child good night in their own way.

Sighing deeply, Tsuna moves to one of the couches next to the fire flickering in his fireplace. He leans back and rests his arm over his eyes. His free arm tightens around Sora, thoroughly stopping the child's sobs. Tsuna's breathing picks up again, and his body shakes lightly in the night. Swear sheens his skin, and slowly Sora starts to panic.

"N-nii-san!"

"Hush now little-Sora." a cool, smooth voice emanates from the shadows. It doesn't scare Sora, if anything it makes him feel safer. If his nii-san is like this, then having Muko-nii around is good.

Sora is pulled into the tall, lanky guardian's arms and pulled to his chest. He clutches at the warm material of his brother's night shirt and settled into his long arms.

"Omnivore, you're becoming too versed in hiding such reactions from those herbivores. Is it wise for them not to know about… this." the cloud guardian streaks out of the shadows on Tsuna's opposite side. Appearing suddenly, and coldly. He gestures to Tsuna's body as he finishes his sentence.

"I-it's for the best. If Hayato, or even Takashi saw me like this, I doubt I'd ever be left alone. There are certain things they need to be hidden from. You two on the other hand, would force it out me either way."

That earns a small laugh from his mist guardian. "How observant of you, Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna attempts to smile, but it turns into a grimace as his body calms its shaking.

"So, Omnivore, are you going to tell us what happened?" Tsuna shakes his head and gestures to the semi-conscious brunette in Mukuro's arms.

Sighing, as if he should have expected it, Kyouya takes Sora gently into his arms. Hibird flies down, at his master's command, and snuggles against Sora's body. Then, quietly, almost to quietly for either Tsuna, or Mukuro to hear, Kyouya begins to sing a soft lullaby. Tsuna recognises it as a song he often finds Kyouya humming when he's sleeping in one of the Japanese trees in their garden. He smiles a little, despite himself, and watches Sora's eyes drift closed in the light rocking of the cloud guardian. Within minutes, the soft breathing, louder than all the adults' in the room, signals a sleeping six year old.

"Kufufufufu, I wouldn't have stuck you as a child-person. Kyouya-Chan."

"_Kyouya really is gentle on the inside. No matter what anyone else says."_

Steely eyes zone in on the two other males' faces and his sift smile, the one only Tsuna seems to ever see, disappears.

"If I hear _either _of you telling those other herbivores about this; Kami Kurosu."

Tsuna sighs, and Kyouya takes the child in his arms to bed. When he re-enters, he takes the single seat across from Mukuro. After a moment, a couple of deep breathes, Mukuro speaks.

"So, do you want to tell us what that was about, Tsunayoshi, or will I have to force my way into that complicated mind of yours?" there is no smirk on Mukuro's face, not even that teasing tone takes its usual role. His voce is cold, dangerous, serious. For all his complaining, all his threatening, Tsuna is important to him. This _famiglia _is important to him.

"Wouldn't it be better if I just show the two if you?" Tsuna questions. His voice, devoid of the warmth he usually holds dear, his voice causes Kyouya to look up suddenly. The tone, so different shows how close to breaking their boss has come.

"Very well, Tsunayoshi, don't fight it. I shall reveal what you have seen to Kyouya as well as myself. Be prepared to re-live this." Mukuro stands, his stance is tense, he knows just how hash it is for anyone to relive a moment of true terror. Especially his own boss. He kneels before his boss, his hands resting on his shoulders, then with a squeeze, he enters his boss' mind. Using his power, and Tsuna's guidance, he finds the memories.

Kyouya winces in the corner, he hates whenever the blue-haired herbivore approaches the omnivore. Always has, and probably always will. However, when he sees the determination, and understanding in the illusionist's eyes, he knows nothing bad will happen to his little boss. Even if something does happen, he still has his tonfu, and the box weapon so willing to serve him.

Just as his mind starts to be invaded by the illusionist's power, and the boss' memories, both Kyouya, and Mukuro hear their boss murmur one last sentence.

"I'm sorry you have to see this, Mukuro."

And so they watch. Tsuna shaking, trying everything to stop the tremors. Kyouya in the verge of rampage, willing, no, preparing to kill all who dare do such monstrous things. And Mukuro watching with blank eyes, as he relives his life through the eyes of his boss, his teeth clench together.

"_Bastards… how _dare_ they do this… how dare they involve my boss, and little-Sora in their psychopathic plot."_

Tsuna starts shaking a little more ferociously and Mukuro makes a quick withdrawal. He focuses just in time to catch his heavily breathing, visibly shaken boss in his arms. Kyouya flinches slightly at the ragged appearance of his boss, and Mukuro picks him up and places him in his bed.

"What do you think is going to happen, pineapple?" Kyouya asks, though using his favourite nickname for the illusionist, all torment is missing in his tone.

"Kufufufufu. For once my skylark, I really don't know. What I do know, is that from now on, things are going to get very, very interesting."

With that, both slightly anti social, albeit possessive guardians leave their boss to his listless, dreamless sleep. Secretly hoping that tomorrow will bring better tidings.

Luckily for his guardians, Tsuna's sleep was not plagues with nightmares. Instead it was empty, not exactly cold, but no where near as warm as it usually was. His mind played various scenarios over, and over again, hoping that maybe an answer would be created in the jumbled mess of emotion and foreboding.

Tsuna woke that morning with a pounding headache, a dry throat, and a startling feeling of loneliness that was uncommon in his warm mansion. Without sitting up, without even really being awake, the night's activities flood back into Tsuna's head and the young Mafioso sighs heavily, a tired sigh misplaced in a person his age.

"_It seems things are going to go bad, really soon… I hope Reborn arrives home soon. Maybe he'll know what to do."_

So Tsuna moves on, he is the boss of the strongest mafia, he can't afford to allow a dream to interrupt his daily workings. So waking up Sora, and taking I'm to breakfast, Tsuna begins his day as normal. He greets his staff, with his usual smile, and goes about his usual duties. He takes a patrol of the grounds with Sora and Kyouya, and checks on Takashi as he trains. The staff, as usual smile at him as he passes them. They all love their boss, the cleaning, cooking, and other staff members would give their lives to save his. He has given them freedom, and fair treatment, even if they never expected it. They respect him no only as Vongola Decimo, but Sawada Tsunayoshi as well.

When he and Sora finally make it back to his office, it's well past one o'clock in the afternoon, only an hour before the meeting with his guardians. When Tsuna finally ushers Sora into the office, Sora has his arms full of toys and treats form the various staff members who have taken a particularly sweet liking to him. One of the maids even scooped him into her arms as he passed.

"Nii-san! Can I plwese have a cookey now?" Sora's sweet voice drifts towards Tsuna from the couches on the other side of the room.

"Did you eat all the lunch Romano made for you?" Tsuna asks. He thinks back over the lunch he missed courtesy of his lightning guardian's tantrum. He had left Sora in the care of Takashi and Chrome, while he had to deal with a fight between Hayato and Lambo.

"Yup! Taka-nii and Chrome-nee made sure I ate it awl." Sora chimes happily.

"Then yes, you can have a cookie. But only one. I don't want you to spoil your dinner. Romano is making spaghetti."

"Yaay!" Sora almost jumps out of his seat. "Sketi, sketi. We're all havin' sketi." he chants in the corner. Tsuna laughs softly at the child's antics and turns back to the pile- albeit smaller than yesterday's pile- of paperwork.

There's a knock on the solid wood door, the knock is heavy, and smooth. Without looking up, Tsuna beckons the knocking entity to enter. A tall, grey haired man in black, butler's attire enters the room. With only four, looping strides, the man appears before Tsuna.

"Buongiorno Master Vongola." Tsuna internally sighs at the formality of the man's voice.

"Buongiorno Sage. What can I help you with?" Tsuna asks. He leans back in his seat, and his face takes on a cold, and distant disposition. His 'boss face' as Takashi calls it.

"A letter sir. It has just arrived for you."

The butler hands the stark white letter to his boss, with a nod, a bow, and four more looping strides, the man is gone. Probably back to his other duties.

Tsuna sighs again, and rubs his temples. Sora notices his big brother's tired form and stands at his side. He leans on Tsuna's knee and quirks his head to get a better look at his brother's face. Tsuna looks down into the tawny orbs and sighs. He smiles a soft, still tired smile, and sends Sora back to play with a ruffle of his soft hair.

As Sora sits down again, Tsuna turns his attention to the white envelop sitting before him. It's a curiosity. It is uncommon for letters to arrive so late in the afternoon. Even private curriers from other families usually arrive before noon. In fact, almost all curriers deliver their letters or packages between eight and ten in the morning. It is unheard of for a letter to arrive at two thirty in the afternoon.

Picking it up gently, as if filled with nitro-glycerine, Tsuna flips it over to reveal the back. Sitting on the stark white paper of the envelop, bold and clean in black ink, is the crest of another mafia famiglia. For reasons beyond Tsuna's imagining, the crest causes his heart to thump loudly. It speed up, as if he were nearing the end of his hyper-dying will mode during a life-or-death battle for his guardians. The pain flaring in his heart is recognisable only as fear, his intuition screams at him, but the message is broken, as if words, or vital sentences have been plucked from his mind. Not wanting to stare at the emblem any longer, Tsuna gently opens the lip. The rip seems to echo, an ominous sign.

Tsuna's long, pale fingers slide into the envelops, he slowly pulls out a letter, written on high-grade parchment, an old law in the mafia world. The edges are brushed with gold leafing, and as Tsuna opens it fully, the emblem again stares at him form the center of the top of the page.

Chocolaty eyes read the lines nonchalantly, scanning, absorbing, before finally understanding. As he trails the finally scripted letter, trying to believe his Italian is failing him, Tsuna's eyes widen, flickering between the raging stages of hyper-dying will mode. The chocolaty hue flickers irregularly between a colour similar to Sora's and to the sunset gold, mirroring the flames flickering on his ring as he reads.

In the back of his mind, Tsuna hears the door opening. In the very back of his mind, the lack of a nock doesn't go unnoticed, however, the Vongola decimo has thing more immediately important to think about.

"OI! Turf-top! Knock before you enter!" Tsuna's storm guardian demands as he follows the white-haired boy into his boss' office.

In the corner of his eye, the guardian of storm notices his boss' rigid form. That isn't anything new to the man, his boss often took on a stoic figure when reading a new bill. What took the storm guardian's attention was in fact his boss' eyes. The way they flickered angrily, he couldn't take his eyes away. The anger, it shadowed the fear, and also the desperate plea of confusion and resolve.

Just as he and the rain guardian, who has also noticed his boss' strange behaviour, are about to charge towards their boss, their legs are almost taken from underneath them by a giggling child.

"Arashi-nii, Taka-nii! Buon pomeriggio!" the boy greeted.

Taken back slightly, they greet the boy. Those who have already been greeted, namely Ryohei, Mukuro and Kyouya, turn to their boss and their eyes grow dark. The three older males approach the stiff male behind the desk and their eyes grow darker still. Ryohei's usually cheery greeting turns cold, his face takes on the stern glare he takes on when analysing a threat in the boxing ring.

"Sawada! What's the problem?" he's cool, his voice takes on a calm, dangerous edge. His eyes search for any flicker in his young boss' face, searching for any clue as to who the enemy is.

Tsuna's eyes flicker up to meet his 'older brother's' eyes and the sun guardian freezes. Never has he seen such a mix of anger and fear in Tsuna's eyes since the battle with Byakuran all those years ago when they were still teenagers.

Flickering from his approaching guardians, the ones at his desk, and the young boy in Chrome's arms, Tsuna' eyes soften into the sunset hue. He smiles at Sora, who has taken on a fearful quake and suggests the boy runs off to play with some of the maids.

"Didn't you promise to help Romano with the garlic bread?"

Completely forgetting the seriousness of Tsuna's voice, Sora laughs and nods before rushing out of the room with a joyful. "See you later!"

"Tsunayoshi. What is this about?"

Tsuna can't utter a word to his mist guardian's question. Instead, he simply hands the letter of to his guardians. He watches, closely, as each, and everyone of his guardians' faces change with the words rushing through their minds.

Hayato takes on a murderous glare. His green orbs calculating and dangerous.

Takashi looses his innocent smile, the glare of the Hitman he really is unleashed on his face.

Ryohei looses a little bit of light from his eyes, his hands clench unconsciously under the bandages he wears.

Chrome covers her mouth with her hand and can't help but steal a glance towards Tsuna and Mukuro, questioning the truth behind the words.

Lambo's usually uninterested face takes on a serious glow., he stares intently with both eyes at the letter, as if trying to burn away the words.

Mukuro takes on an impassive expression, though, his red eye flickers furiously, as if trying to find a new form to rid the world of the words upon the paper.

Kyouya instinctively reaches for his tonfu, his passive face betraying the need to destroy someone written in his eyes.

_**Dear Vongola Decimo. **_

_**You have something of our, and we'd kindly like you to give it back.**_

_**We are the Manipolare, or as many know us, we were once the (fangs). The child currently in your care is the offspring of one of our members, he belongs to us, and we demand he is returned to us.**_

_**We will see you a week from now. We will meet under your conditions. **_

_**You know the consequence of ignoring this summons.**_

_**Ever Faithful to our cause,**_

_**Numero 98, Capo di Manipolare.**_

"Is this serious, Omnivore?"

"It is." Tsuna's answer sends shivers through the group of his friends before him.

"They're after Sora? Bossu?" Chrome's voice shakes slightly. Tears gather in her violet eyes, before they're dispelled by their owner.

"We don't even know if what they say is true. How can we be certain?" Takashi tries to soothe the increasing bloodlust in the room.

"I know what they say is true." Tsuna states. His head pumps with the increasing headache.

"How?" Ryohei's loud nature starts to filter into his voice.

"Is it your dream, Tsunayoshi?"

"What dream, Dame-Tsuna."

Standing in the doorway. Back suit blending into the shadows as if woven from the darkness itself. A man stands tall and firm. He's obviously much older than any of the men in the room, by at least five or six years. Slim despite his obvious strength, his arms pull down the brim of the black and orange fedora on his head. As he stands straight, moving towards the immobile men and tearful young lady before him, the hat allows the light of the afternoon to light his onyx eyes, giving them a brown sheen. Lying across his shoulders, awake and alert, a green chameleon watches with intelligent eyes.

The man's smooth, dark voice slips into Tsuna's ever nerve, immediately soothing them into an unconsciously, lulled sense of security.

"Reborn." Tsuna states.

The man grabs the paper from the limo hand of the guardian of storm. His eyes quickly scan the letter, immediately knowing what the contents mean. immediately knowing what type of fight is about to head his boss' way. Immediately knowing which side he is going to take.

"You realise what this means don't you boss?"

"I do Reborn. The only question is whether I can count on your back?" Tsuna states, completely understanding his ex-tutors question, and the answer he's going to receive.

"Do you even have to ask?"

* * *

><p><strong>Reborn is back!<br>****So what did you think? Reborn is probably a little OoC, but he needs to be.  
><strong>**I've made him thirty-three years old, for those interested, or who can't be bothered with the math.  
><strong>**I believe, in the future, that Tsuna and his gang would have figured out how to get Reborn his old body back, (and the other arcabalano) so I have aged Reborn accordingly.  
><strong>**If you have a problem with that, you are free to **_**comment**_** on it, but please don't get angry with me for it. It works in my story, and if you look at both the manga, and the anime, it is suggested that the arcabalano have their real bodies back in the TYL future.  
><strong>**And before anyone asks, yes, Kyouya and Mukuro are OoC! But I think after so many years, their hatred (drive for possession and biting) of Tsuna would decrease into a sort of protectiveness(?) over their boss? Oh well, feel free to comment about that… and I don't say **_**comment**_** lightly.**

**Grazie Tante. Arigatou. Thank You very much for reading and reviewing.  
><strong>**Please review. I won't cry, I promise.**

**~~ Bleach-ed-Na-tsu. :3**


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